Authorities investigate fires in Portland-area ballot boxes

(OCTOBER 31, 2024) November 5, 2024 is election day. However, voters in Oregon can vote early. They can mail their ballots to the elections office. They can also drop off their ballots in ballot boxes.

On Monday, October 28, 2024, there was a fire in a ballot box in Southeast Portland. It was quickly put out by a fire suppression system in the box. The fire suppression system protected all but 3 ballots out of 412 ballots. Voters of the burned ballots will get replacement ballots.

The fire was not accidental. It was arson. The fire was caused by a magnetic device attached to the ballot box. 

“We don’t know the motives behind these acts, sounds like a series of three at this point, but we do know that acts like this are targeted and intentional,” Portland Police Bureau Assistant Chief Amanda McMillan said during a news conference Monday. “We are concerned about that intentional act trying to affect the election process. We’re dedicated to stopping that kind of behavior and we are working toward that today.”

There was another fire in a ballot box in Vancouver, too. Local and federal authorities are investigating both fires. The Portland Police Bureau released two photos of a vehicle that might have been involved in the Portland fire. The vehicle is described as a black or dark-colored 2001-2004 Volvo S-60. The vehicle does not have a front license plate, but it does have an unknown rear plate. Investigators believe the vehicle is tied to two similar incidents in the Vancouver, Washington area.

All ballot boxes in Multnomah County of Oregon and Clark County of Washington have fire suppressant installed. In Multnomah County, voting by mail is the most popular method, and CNN reports that less than 1% of people vote in person. In Clark County, 60% of the ballots received are from ballot drop boxes.