(DailyVantage.com) – Two ballot drop boxes in Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, were targeted in early-morning arson attacks on Monday, likely destroying hundreds of ballots cast for the 2024 election. Smoke was first spotted around 4 a.m. at a drop box in Vancouver’s Fisher’s Landing Transit Center, prompting firefighters and Vancouver Police to respond. Officials believe only a small number of ballots might be salvageable, and voters who submitted ballots there after Saturday morning have been advised to request replacements from the Election Auditor’s Office.
A “suspicious device” was also discovered near the Vancouver box, leading the Vancouver Police Department to call in the Metro Explosive Disposal Unit (MEDU) to handle the scene safely. Meanwhile, the FBI has taken over the investigation in Vancouver, which is located in Washington’s politically competitive 3rd Congressional District, where a key House race between Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Republican Joe Kent is unfolding.
Hours before this, Portland authorities responded to a similar incident involving an incendiary device in a ballot box in Southeast Portland. While it remains unclear how many ballots were affected in Portland, authorities are investigating both incidents. The attacks are drawing heightened attention due to their potential impact in Clark County, Washington, where the narrow voting margins from previous presidential elections underline the area’s significance as a battleground for both parties.
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