About 475 damaged ballots were retrieved from a ballot box that was burned early Monday in southwest Washington, a county official said Tuesday.
Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey said workers on Wednesday will begin searching through the damaged ballots for voter information in order to contact them about getting a new ballot. He said officials believe that although damaged, the workers will be able to pull voter information from the ballots.
The damaged ballots are separate from an unknown number that were destroyed, Kimsey said.
Hundreds of ballots were destroyed when two ballot drop boxes were set on fire in Oregon and Washington on Monday, investigators are searching for a suspect and a vehicle believed to be linked.
Police said that incendiary devices ignited fires in ballot drop boxes in the cities of Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington.
According to Multnomah County Elections Director Tim Scott, only three ballots were damaged in Portland, and his office plans to contact those voters to assist them in obtaining replacements. Police said the fire was extinguished quickly thanks to a suppression system inside the box and a nearby security guard.
In Vancouver, however, hundreds of ballots were destroyed at the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center drop box, where the fire suppression system failed to activate.
Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey said on Tuesday that the last ballot collection from that box occurred at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Voters who deposited ballots afterward are urged to reach out for replacements.
Authorities believe the two incidents are connected and possibly linked to a prior incident on Oct. 8, when another incendiary device was found at a different drop box in Vancouver.
Police have identified a suspect vehicle seen leaving the scene of the ballot box fire in Portland, describing it as a black or dark-colored 2001-2004 Volvo S-60, according to a Monday news release. The Oregon Department of Driver and Motor Vehicle Services reports that 3,828 of these vehicles are registered in the state, with 558 currently holding valid registration status.
The FBI is among the agencies investigating. U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman and Greg Austin, acting special agent in charge of the FBI Seattle field office, said in a joint statement Tuesday that they wanted to assure residents that they are working together to investigate the fires and will work to hold the person or people responsible “fully accountable.”
No arrests had been announced as of Tuesday evening.
Ballot Box Security Increased
As Election Day approaches, state leaders have pledged to increase security around ballot drop boxes and are encouraging citizens to vote despite recent incidents.
Law enforcement in both Portland and Vancouver plan to increase patrols around ballot boxes in the area to enhance security.
The ballot box in Portland has already been replaced, according to Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson.
“Voter intimidation or any criminal act to undermine the upcoming election is un-American & will not be tolerated,” Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said on X.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said, “Our state and local election teams are fully dedicated to making sure every person’s vote is counted fairly and accurately,” adding, “There are multiple ways for voters to cast their ballot and make sure their voice is heard.”
In Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, where Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) faces a highly competitive House race, she has requested overnight law enforcement patrols at ballot drop boxes following recent fires.
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency advises that unattended drop boxes should be locked, secured, well-lit, and monitored by video surveillance. Many are bolted down or placed in public buildings during business hours to ensure monitoring.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.