Ballot drop boxes set on fire in Portland, Ore., and Vancouver, Wash.

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News

Oct. 28, 2024, 1:10 PM EDT


Ballot drop boxes in Portland, Oregon, and neighboring Vancouver, Washington, were set on fire early Monday morning, police said, just over a week out from Election Day. Local officials said three ballots were damaged in Portland while potentially “hundreds” were affected in Vancouver.

The Portland Police Bureau said an "incendiary device" was placed inside of a sidewalk ballot box in the Central City district. By the time officers responded to reports at about 3:30 a.m. local time, security personnel in the area had extinguished the flames.

"Officers determined an incendiary device was placed inside the ballot box and used to ignite the fire," a statement from the Portland police read, adding that the bureau's Explosive Disposal Unit removed the mechanism. Portland police were continuing to investigate the incident.

A statement from the Multnomah County election office said that "fire suppressant inside the ballot box protected virtually all the ballots." "Voters should be assured that even if their ballots were in the affected box, their votes will be counted," the statement read.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ballot-boxes-set-fire-portland-vancouver-rcna177611

[BOSSHOG]

1. Conservative values at work

We don’t need to vote.

[Walleye]

2. I'm sure that whatever "sovereign citizen" did this, they feel perfectly justified. That's where we're at.

[samnsara]

3. betcha Bundys..

[riversedge]

4. BALLOT BURNING: The Clark Co. auditor said hundreds of ballots were inside the box at the time of the burning, and maybe

BALLOT BURNING: The Clark Co. auditor said hundreds of ballots were inside the box at the time of the burning, and maybe only a few can be saved.
Voters who dropped off ballots at that location after Sunday need to contact the Auditor's Office IMMEDIATELY

Link to tweet

[riversedge]

5. Multnomah County -- Go to (http://multnomah.ballottrax.net) to check ballot status; Clark County -- Go to (http://votewa.g

@KatieDaviscourt
*** IMPORTANT***

Clark County — Go to (http://votewa.gov) to check ballot status

If you were impacted, contact the Clark County Auditor's office to request a replacement ballot: http://clark.wa.gov/elections

Multnomah County — Go to (http://multnomah.ballottrax.net) to check ballot status

Link to tweet

[riversedge]

7. Picture of burning ballot boxes

Link to tweet

[EarthFirst]

6. Maga 101: If you can't vote and win. Cheat and steal... nt

[riversedge]

8. Hundreds of ballots possibly burned after Vancouver ballot box arson: FBI investigating

Hundreds of ballots possibly burned after Vancouver ballot box arson: FBI investigating

https://www.katu.com/news/local/gallery/vancouver-ballot-box-seen-smoking-same-morning-as-portland-ballot-box-arson?photo=1

[riversedge]

13. the last pickup being 11AM Saturday. Clark County Elections ballot drop box at the Fisher's Landing Transit Center

The Clark County Elections ballot drop box at the Fisher's Landing Transit Center was lit on fire this morning. Clark Co. Auditor Greg Kimsey says hundreds of ballots were inside at the time, the last pickup being 11AM Saturday. Full story here https://katu.com/news/local/vancouver-ballot-box-seen-smoking-same-morning-as-portland-ballot-box-arson @KATUNews

Link to tweet

[maxsolomon]

9. Vancouver WA is the home of the Proud Boys.

Stand back and stand by.

[slightlv]

10. This is so stupid...

don't they realize it also impacts their own votes? Or are they so sure Harris is going to win that they don't trust their own people to vote?

It seems like everyone and their brother has some type of camera aimed at a mailbox or a front door these days. I think it ought to be an automatic response that anytime a drop box is placed somewhere, a camera is trained on that box... maybe sending back digital pics at frequent intervals. If these red light cameras can catch cars, surely we can catch these magats setting the boxes on fire! All of this IS going to make us change the way we vote... and maybe not in a way Cleta is planning for it. Maybe we'll have all Republicans go to certain places or boxes to vote... such that there votes are all in a central place, while Democrats continue voting by mail-in, walk-in, drop box, or early in-person voting. Or maybe we find a way to freaking secure a network and everyone vote digitally. Cleta Mitchell's group is trying to change the way we vote... maybe even trying to make sure we *can't* vote... but the worm doesn't have to turn in her favor.

[SpankMe]

17. Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR are blue-leaning

It'll be hard for Trump to get a majority in these cities. So, burning a small number of ballots - even if they're mostly Democratic votes - wouldn't make a difference.

Since right-wingers have been vilifying ballot boxes, Republicans probably don't use them a whole lot. So, the arsonists probably believe they're destroying mostly Democratic votes.

This feels more like some form of "statement" by the perpetrators: "Your votes in drop boxes won't work." This is terrorism in my opinion. I wish there were resources for cameras at these boxes so the perps can be seen and caught.

We have no idea who did this. So, we're only guessing that it was right-wingers. It sounds like their MO. But lets be cautious.

[slightlv]

20. I know the cities are blue-leaning...

not only do I have friends there, but I've wanted to move there since forever. Just have never been able to afford it. And yes, based on other cases, this is a right-wing MO, but I'm a bit over with the being cautious. I know there's hassles around world meetings, etc., with the anarchists, but I can't see anarchists doing this. This is so much a right wing thing... especially since its drop boxes. Just my (very jaded) opinion by now, I'll readily and blushingly admit that. But I absolutely agree with you on the terrorism part, the only thing I hate is that we've never gotten laws passed on domestic terrorism, and this seems to be where most of it is coming from, no matter was trump says!

I do want to say how much I enjoy videos of the area, and the stories of friends who have or still live there. I do long for a large community of like minded folks. We have our small groups of friends here, but it isn't the same as feeling free enough to walk down the street and proudly be who you really are inside, without fear of who is going to see or hear you.

[slightlv]

20. I know the cities are blue-leaning...

not only do I have friends there, but I've wanted to move there since forever. Just have never been able to afford it. And yes, based on other cases, this is a right-wing MO, but I'm a bit over with the being cautious. I know there's hassles around world meetings, etc., with the anarchists, but I can't see anarchists doing this. This is so much a right wing thing... especially since its drop boxes. Just my (very jaded) opinion by now, I'll readily and blushingly admit that. But I absolutely agree with you on the terrorism part, the only thing I hate is that we've never gotten laws passed on domestic terrorism, and this seems to be where most of it is coming from, no matter was trump says!

I do want to say how much I enjoy videos of the area, and the stories of friends who have or still live there. I do long for a large community of like minded folks. We have our small groups of friends here, but it isn't the same as feeling free enough to walk down the street and proudly be who you really are inside, without fear of who is going to see or hear you.

[moniss]

11. The penalties for election vandalism have needed

to be upgraded for a very long time. Destruction of ballots, stealing ballots etc. should be 10 years mandatory no early release. Vandalizing or stealing yard signs should be 5 years mandatory no early release. The problem will become very rare instead of being very common. Knowingly dispensing false information about voting, registration, polling places etc. should also be 5-10 years mandatory no early release. Causing a disturbance at the polls with voters either inside or outside should get 5-10 mandatory no early release. All of these should be classed as high level felonies. I am way past done with people turning the election process in this country into a war zone.

As it is now in many states these things are a mishmash of misdemeanors, possible felonies and usually slap on the wrist enforcement/penalties. Half hearted investigations and prosecutions are the rule rather than the exception and can carry almost a "protected" scenario if the criminal and the prosecutor are both of the same party.

[love_katz]

12. Portland had a fire suppressant in the box.

It helped. Only three ballots were burned.

It is really sad and infuriating, that things have come to this.

[love_katz]

14. VOTE people!

There wouldn't be all these efforts to suppress your vote or destroy your ballot if voting wasn't important.

[mommymarine2003]

15. I live in Oregon across the Columbia River from Vancouver. There is a very competitive Congressional race going on

in SW Washington. The current congressperson is a Democrat, Marie Perez, having defeated Republican Joe Kent two years ago. He had won out over Herrera-Beutler two years ago, a Republican who had voted to impeach Trump. Perez is running again against Republican Joe Kent. He is very much to the right. I can't wait for the commercials to be over. Living on the border of two states means we get tons of commercials for both states. I hope Washington starts using fire suppressants in their drop boxes in the future.

[Fiendish Thingy]

16. Vancouver WA is the HQ of the Proud Boys

It’s just across the River from Portland.

[Evolve Dammit]

18. There's some serious ELECTION FRAUD. DOJ pleeeese. You oughta be able to find out who did these?

[KewlKat]

19. WA state info - Here is a PDF file that tells you if an INSIDE drop box is available. I plan on doing that.

Here is the file with locations STATEWIDE in WA.

[Jit423]

22. Can Biden and/or the Justice Department do anything about this

like enforcing a harsh national law with automatic jail time for offenders? May camera or some other way to ID and track offenders.

[BumRushDaShow]

23. From the article

The FBI was investigating, and no further details were immediately available, Vancouver police said.

People seem to not know or understand that every big city has some kind of federal criminal investigative presence (FBI, ATF, etc) and have "partnerships" with local LEO, where they work together when incidents like this happen, will decide on who will take a "lead", and will come up with what type of support services are needed to shepherd the investigation along.

And this -

like enforcing a harsh national law with automatic jail time for offenders?

Do you have a link to such a "harsh national law with automatic jail time for offenders?"

In the United States, we haven't gone to fascism yet but there seems to be a push to do so here on DU. There is something called "due process" meaning the COURTS (and juries) will decide from the evidence presented to them, whether there is enough proof that the accused actually did the crime, did violate the law, and whether what was done was enough to mete out any punishment.

DU continues to spread misinformation about what the federal civil service does and purportedly doesn't do, for some bizarre reason.