In a dramatic incident early Monday, a ballot drop box in Washington state’s hotly contested 3rd Congressional District was set ablaze by an incendiary device, destroying what officials estimate could be hundreds of ballots.
The box, located at a park-and-ride near Fisher’s Landing Transit Center in Vancouver, was targeted with a device that ignited ballots inside, according to Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey.
“It appears that a device was attached to the outside of the ballot drop box, igniting the ballots within,” Kimsey told Oregon Live. He estimated the number of affected ballots was in the hundreds.
The most recent collection from the box had been made Saturday at 11 a.m., and Kimsey urged anyone who dropped off ballots after that time to reach out immediately to replace their vote.
“Our team is prepared to assist in reissuing ballots for those impacted,” he told The Post.
The fire occurred in a highly competitive district where incumbent Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) faces off against Republican challenger Joe Kent.
Two years ago, Perez narrowly won her seat, defeating Kent by fewer than 3,000 votes.
The rematch between the two is currently rated as a “toss-up” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, adding to the urgency of ensuring voters’ ballots are counted in full.
The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) also responded to another ballot box fire around 3:30 a.m. Monday, located just across the Columbia River from Vancouver.
Officers reported that security personnel in the area had already extinguished the flames by the time they arrived on the scene. PPB noted that a device was also placed inside this ballot box to ignite the ballots within.
As of now, investigators have not confirmed any connection between the two incidents, although the close timing and similar methods raise suspicions.
Local officials are investigating whether the incidents could signal a coordinated effort to disrupt voting in the region.
Clark County, Vancouver Police Department, and Washington’s Secretary of State’s Office are collaborating to assess the damage, evaluate the integrity of other ballot boxes, and ensure that voters have options to safely submit their ballots.
With less than a week before Election Day and such a tight race in the 3rd District, officials are doubling down on efforts to ensure voter confidence.
Meanwhile, law enforcement is intensifying security around ballot drop boxes to prevent further incidents as the final votes are cast in this critical election.