2 ballot boxes set on fire in Portland and Vancouver

Two ballot boxes were set on fire in Portland and Vancouver early Monday morning, in incidents police say are likely connected and related to another attempted attack earlier this month.

Hundreds of ballots were destroyed in one of the early morning fires, at a ballot box at a Vancouver transit center. The other, outside Multnomah County election offices in Portland, was quickly extinguished and resulted in partial damage to just three ballots.

Portland police said Monday they were looking for a dark Volvo at the scene of the Portland fire. They said similarities between the two Monday fires – and a third attempt to set fire to a Vancouver ballot box on Oct. 8 – included similar incendiary devices that, once attached to the ballot box, could heat the ballots inside until they caught fire.

“There was enough evidence collected at all three scenes that lead us to believe that all three incidents are connected,” said Mike Benner, a spokesperson for the Portland Police Bureau.

In reaction to the spate of attacks, law enforcement in Vancouver and Portland said they would step up patrols around ballot boxes. In Clark County, elections officials said they would pick up ballots more often to limit how many could be damaged in the future.

“We have developed a plan to ensure that we are keeping an eye on the boxes as much as possible with increased patrols,” Troy Price, Vancouver’s interim police chief, told reporters in a news conference.

Around 3:30 a.m. Monday, Portland officers responded to a fire in a ballot drop box in the 1000 block of Southeast Morrison Street, outside the Multnomah County elections office.

By the time they arrived, security guards on the premises had already extinguished a fire, Benner said. The ballot box, like all in Multnomah County, was also equipped with fire suppression canisters that deployed in response to a spike in temperature.

As a result, just a handful of ballots were damaged, Scott said. Elections officials will contact the voters impacted to send them replacements.

Related: What you need to know about voting in Oregon and Southwest Washingon

“I’ve been with Multnomah County elections for 16 years. I’ve been in elections for 22 years,” Scott told reporters. “This is the first time any incident has occurred as far as I’m aware.”

The nearby Elections Division building was not affected, and the site remained open for normal operations Monday, with some people coming in to inquire about the ballot box incident. Still, Scott said anyone who dropped their ballot into the box on Southeast Belmont Street between 3:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 a.m. Monday should call 503-988-6826 if they have any concerns.

Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade issued a statement condemning the act Monday morning.

“Make no mistake, an attack on a ballot box is an attack on our democracy and completely unacceptable,” she said. “Whatever the motivation behind this incident, there is no justification for any attempt to disenfranchise voters.”

Damage was more extensive at a ballot drop site in Vancouver. Officials say that a box at Fisher’s Landing Transit Center was set ablaze around 4 a.m., destroying hundreds of ballots. A video from KATU-TV, which was live at the scene, went viral on social media Monday.

As in Multnomah County, the box was equipped with a fire suppression system, said Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey. “Doesn’t appear it worked very well,” he said.

The Washington fire occurred in the heart of one of the most closely watched congressional districts in the country.

U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, the Democratic incumbent locked in a close race with Republican Joe Kent, issued a statement saying there was “absolutely zero place in our democracy for political violence or interference against our fellow citizens, election workers, or voting infrastructure.” Gluesenkamp Perez said she is requesting law enforcement presence overnight “at all ballot drop boxes” in Clark County through Election Day.

Anyone who dropped off a ballot at the Fisher’s Landing drop box, at 3510 SE 164th Ave., between 11 a.m. Saturday and 4 a.m. Monday, should contact the Clark County Elections Office for a replacement ballot, said Kimsey.

“The sooner they contact us, the better” he said.

Kimsey, now in his 26th year as an elections official, said he has not seen attacks on ballot boxes in previous elections. But this year has already brought two.

On Oct. 8, what Kimsey called a “suspicious device” caused damage to the outside of a different drop box within the county. In that instance, no ballots were damaged.

Still Kimsey said voters worried about their ballots could bring them directly to his Vancouver office, at 1408 Franklin Street. He also said that ballots deposited by 5:30 p.m. will be picked up the same day, reducing the chance they could be vandalized.

In a press release issued Monday evening, Kimsey confirmed the county’s plans to enhance security around ballot boxes.

“In addition to an increased law enforcement presence, Clark County Elections Office employees will serve as ballot box observers 24 hours a day, seven days a week at each of the 22 drop boxes throughout the county,” said Kimsey. “Employees will not confront anyone. They are there to observe and report any suspicious activities to the proper authorities.”

Police said Monday afternoon they were seeking more information on a vehicle they believe is connected to all three attacks – a dark-colored Volvo S60 from model year 2001-2004. The car did not have a front license plate in surveillance footage, and police said they could not read its rear plate.

“We don’t know the motive behind these acts,” PPB Assistant Chief Amanda McMillan said in a statement. “We do know acts like this are targeted and they’re intentional and we’re concerned about that intentional act trying to impact the election process.”

According to Benner, police could pursue charges that include manufacturing a destructive device, unlawful use of a weapon, first-degree criminal mischief, reckless burning and obstructing governmental administration in the case.

The FBI confirmed in a statement Monday morning that it is investigating the two fires set Monday. Meanwhile, the incidents were broadly condemned by Oregon and Washington officials.

“Voter intimidation of any criminal act to undermine the upcoming election is un-American and will not be tolerated,” Gov. Tina Kotek said in a statement. “I commend the rapid response from Multnomah County Elections and law enforcement to ensure that Oregon voters can securely cast their ballots.”

Editor’s note: Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Stay informed with OPB on the presidential race, key congressional battles and other local contests and ballot measures in Oregon and Southwest Washington at opb.org/elections.