Authorities Investigating Fires at 2 Ballot Boxes — in Vancouver & Portland

Federal authorities are investigating fires at two ballot boxes reported Monday morning in the Portland metro area.

Portland police responded to a call about a fire in Portland about 3:30 am Monday, the Portland Police Bureau said in a statement. An “incendiary device” was placed inside the ballot drop off box and security teams extinguished the fire, officials said.

A second ballot drop off box was set on fire in Vancouver, at the C-TRAN Park and Ride at Fisher’s Landing Transit Center shortly after 4 am. Federal investigators are looking into both incidents with the help of state and local law enforcement agencies, said Steve Bernd, a spokesperson for the FBI’s Seattle office.

A fire suppressant inside the box protected the. majority of the ballots, but three were damaged, Multnomah County Elections Director Tim Scott said in a statement.

When officers arrived at the Vancouver ballot box, they found a “suspicious device” next to the box, which was smoking and on fire, police said.

The Clark County Elections Office said hundreds of ballots were damaged at the Vancouver ballot drop off box.

Laura Shepard, a spokeswoman for the city of Vancouver, said elections officials are asking anyone who may have placed a ballot in the box after 11 am on Saturday to contact them to check the status of their ballot.

The boxes are about 15 miles apart. 

“Any voter who returned their ballot to the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center ballot drop box in Vancouver — at any point this weekend – should contact the Elections Division of the Clark County Auditor’s office immediately to request a replacement ballot, due to an arson at the ballot drop box,” said Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez via X.

You can request a replacement ballot by:

• Calling the auditor’s office at (564) 397-2345
• Emailing elections@clark.wa.gov

The featured image is by Evan Bell, of KATU.