Early on Monday morning, voters in Oregon and Washington woke up to some unsettling news. Ballot boxes in Vancouver, Washington, and nearby Portland, Oregon, had been set ablaze. Authorities found a note in one of the boxes that read, “ALL DROP BOXES WILL BURN. FREE GAZA. ” This led them to believe that the fires might be connected to anti-Israel sentiments.

Fortunately, a fire suppressant system at the Portland location managed to stop most of the flames. However, hundreds of ballots were destroyed at a drop box in Vancouver's Fisher’s Landing Transit Center. The FBI has taken over the investigation, looking into possible links to a previous attempted arson attack in the same area earlier in the month.

Election officials and police are being cautious about sharing details of their investigation. They've advised voters who used the affected boxes over the weekend to track their ballots online and get replacements if necessary. A political letter was found in another Vancouver ballot box, but it's uncertain if it's linked to the arson. It's clear that this is a complex situation that could affect voter confidence and safety.

Both states, Washington and Oregon, use a vote-by-mail system, which makes these attacks even more alarming. With the closely watched congressional rematch between Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D) and Joe Kent (R) in Washington's 3rd District, every vote counts. The Clark County Auditor has announced 24/7 monitoring of all drop box locations, and Vancouver Police have increased patrols. The Portland Police released images of a suspect vehicle, a black or dark-colored 2001-04 Volvo S-60, hoping it could lead to solving this mysterious case.

Mysterious Ballot Box Fires: A Closer Look

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