Arson of ballot boxes in Oregon, Washington state related; Hundreds of ballots were burned

PORTLAND, Oregon, – Police in Oregon and Washington are investigating burning ballot boxes.

Portland Police Bureau Police responded to a report of a fire at a ballot box located in the 1000 block of Southeast Morrison Street, police said Monday morning.

At the time of the arrival of law enforcement officers, the fire was extinguished.

Authorities said an incendiary device was placed inside the ballot box before the fire broke out. The explosives unit of the police arrived at the scene and neutralized the device.

The fire damaged three ballots inside.

Police in Vancouver, Washington, are also investigating a ballot box that was set on fire Monday morning. The fire destroyed hundreds of ballots. The devices were attached to the boxes from the outside, police said.

The fire occurred at the C-TRAN Park & ​​Ride at Fisher’s Landing Transit Center.

Authorities said at a news conference in Portland that enough material was recovered from the incendiary devices to show that Monday’s two fires were related — and that they were also linked to an incident on Oct. 8 in which an incendiary device was posted in another bulletin. box in Vancouver.

Police said Monday that a “suspicious vehicle” has been identified in connection with crimes in Oregon and Washington. Surveillance footage captured a Volvo parked outside a storage facility in Portland, Ore., just before security personnel discovered a fire inside the pit on Monday, Portland Police Bureau spokesman Mike Banner said at a news conference.

“It’s heartbreaking,” said Greg Kimsey, the longtime elected auditor of Clark County, Wash., which includes Vancouver. “This is a direct attack on democracy.”

Ballot boxes in Washington and Oregon have fire suppression systems that activate when the temperature inside reaches a certain point, coating the ballots with fire retardant powder.

The system appears to have tripped in Portland’s box, and security personnel were on hand to help extinguish the fire. Multnomah County Elections Director Tim Scott said the county has contracted with private security guards to provide “roving patrols” that travel around the county 24 hours a day and “watch” all the boxes.

He said one of the security guards was outside the district election commission when he heard what sounded like an explosion — probably a fire extinguisher going off — and called the police.

For unknown reasons, the system failed to prevent the destruction of hundreds of ballots in Vancouver, across the Columbia River from Portland.

The fires follow a similar incident in Arizona last week.

According to FOX 10 Phoenix, An arrest was made after a United States Postal Service mailbox in Phoenix was set on fire last Thursday, damaging more than a dozen ballots.

RELATED: Ballots damaged after fire at USPS mailbox in Phoenix; the suspect was arrested

The fire happened shortly before 1:30 a.m. on Oct. 24 near the post office near 7th Avenue and Indian School Road.

Phoenix Fire crews arrived on scene and extinguished the fire. As a result of the fire, 20 ballot papers and other postal items were damaged.

“The postal inspector took possession of the damaged ballots and mail,” Phoenix Fire Capt. Rob McDaid said. “The Phoenix Fire Investigation Task Force, which includes Phoenix Police detectives and Phoenix Fire Department investigators, is working with U.S. Postal Inspectors.”

In a statement, the FBI said it is coordinating with federal, state and local partners to actively investigate the two incidents. Anyone with information is asked to contact their nearest FBI office, submit information at tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324).

Voters were encouraged to check the status of their ballot online at www.votewa.gov to track the status of their return. If the returned ballot is not marked “received,” voters can print another ballot or visit their local elections office for a replacement, the secretary of state’s office said.