Washington, Oct 30, (V7N) - Authorities in the Pacific Northwest are on high alert following a series of arson attacks on ballot boxes in Washington and Oregon, occurring just a week before Election Day.
 
In the early hours of Monday, police in Portland responded to a fire at a ballot drop box in the Buckman neighborhood. Moments later, a similar incident was reported in Vancouver, Washington. Investigators believe both fires are linked and have released images of a dark-colored Volvo S-60, potentially tied to the arsons.
 
Portland’s Assistant Chief Amanda McMillan stated, “These acts are targeted and intentional,” emphasizing the serious threat they pose to the electoral process. The FBI is now coordinating with local and state officials to investigate the incidents, although they have not yet classified the acts as domestic terrorism.
 
Washington Governor Jay Inslee condemned the attacks as a “violent assault on democracy” and has promised increased security at ballot drop-off locations. In Clark County, officials reported that hundreds of ballots were damaged due to a fire suppression system failure in the Vancouver incident. Meanwhile, only three ballots were affected in Portland, thanks to the operational fire suppression measures.
 
Both Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and her Republican opponent Joe Kent have denounced the arsons. Perez urged the community to ensure every vote counts, while Kent called for resilience against intimidation tactics.
 
With Election Day approaching, authorities are ramping up security efforts to protect the integrity of the voting process. Enhanced police presence will be established around ballot drop-off locations to safeguard against further incidents.

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