Officials offer updated information on ballot box incidents

Vancouver Police responded Monday (Oct. 28) morning at about 4 a.m. to an arson at a ballot box located at 3510 SE 164th Ave. in Vancouver. It was reported that the ballot box was smoking and on fire. Photo courtesy Kathleen Boozer

It was revealed that the early morning incidents involved incendiary devices attached to ballot boxes, causing fires outside election offices in both cities

Ken Vance, editor
Clark County Today

Area law enforcement agencies are collaborating across the region and with federal agencies, including the FBI, to identify and apprehend suspects involved in Monday (Oct. 28) morning incidents resulting in damage to ballot boxes in Vancouver and Portland, Oregon. The Vancouver ballot box was located at the Fisher’s Landing C-TRAN Transit Center located at 3510 SE 164th Ave. Surveillance footage has identified a suspect vehicle, a Volvo, connected to these incidents.

Area law enforcement officials and county officials held a press conference Monday that addressed the recent incidents involving ballot box fires and explosive devices in Vancouver and Portland, Communications were provided from Clark County, Vancouver Police Department (VPD) and Portland Police Bureau (PPB).

This is believed to be the suspect vehicle used in incidents resulting in damage to ballot boxes in Vancouver and Portland, Oregon. Photo courtesy Portland Police Bureau

It was revealed that the early morning incidents involved incendiary devices attached to ballot boxes, causing fires outside election offices in both cities. Security personnel quickly contained the fires. Similar incidents have occurred in Vancouver, the first on Oct. 8, and the latest just prior to the Portland incident.

“This is our second event, in Vancouver, of this nature,’’ said VPD Interim Police Chief Troy Price. “The first one was back on October the 8th. We got a call that indicated that one of the ballot boxes was smoking, and we found a device there next to the ballot box. It was collected by the Metro Explosive disposal unit.

Vancouver Interim Police Chief Troy Price participated in a press conference Monday addressing the recent early morning fire at a ballot box in east Vancouver. Screen grab courtesy KATU News

“Today’s incident is very similar,’’ Price added. “We got a call in the early morning hours to 9-1-1 indicating that there was smoking and a fire at one of our ballot boxes. And again, we collected it through the Metro explosive disposal unit. These incidents are similar in nature. No one was injured in any of these incidents.

“We’re working with our partners across the river here in Portland and sharing information with our federal law enforcement partners in hopes of bringing this to a successful conclusion,’’ Price added.

Later in the press conference, officials indicated that there was enough evidence collected at all three scenes that lead them to believe that all three incidents are connected even though more details could not be shared.

Officials, including Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey, attempted to reassure the public of increased patrols and security measures at ballot boxes. Clark County recently updated its fire suppression systems in ballot boxes.

Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey attempted to reassure the public of increased patrols and security measures at ballot boxes. Screen grab courtesy KATU News

“The question was whether these fire suppression devices were installed in ballot drop boxes in Clark County,’’ Kimsey said. “And the answer is yes. In fact, they were updated. New ones were installed. We installed these four years ago and we installed brand new ones here, in the past couple of months.’’

Community members are urged to report any suspicious activity at ballot drop sites. Voters are assured that damaged ballots are being addressed and that backup processes are in place to verify all ballots.

Officials anticipate potential challenges and heightened emotions leading up to Election Day but they attempted to assure voters that measures are in place to maintain safety and election integrity.

“Vancouver police recognizes the importance of securing the boxes as much as we can while maintaining our ability to respond to calls throughout the city,’’ Price said. “What I can tell you is that we have developed a plan, to ensure that we are keeping an eye on the boxes as much as possible with increased patrols.’’

Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey is addressing concerns regarding ballots damaged or destroyed after being burned in the ballot box located at the Fisher’s Landing C-Tran Transit Center located at 3510 SE 164th Ave.

Ballots deposited in the ballot box located at the Fisher’s Landing C-TRAN Transit Center after 11 a.m. on Saturday (Oct. 26), may have been damaged or destroyed. Elections officials have gathered the ballots from the box and processed those that were still able to go through the sorting machine. Some ballots were either destroyed or too damaged to be processed.

Voters can check online to see if their ballot was received by going to votewa.gov. If a voter does not see their ballot as being received by Oct. 28, they can get a new ballot by visiting the Elections Office at 1408 Franklin St. in downtown Vancouver or contacting Elections at (564) 397-2345 or elections@clark.wa.gov.

Ballots deposited prior to 11 a.m. on Oct. 26 were collected by election officials and not damaged by the fire.

“I’m very saddened by this incident,” Kimsey said. “This action is an attack on American democracy.”

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://t.co/sYkz8ydEqH @KATUNews pic.twitter.com/a8vw0QXXoY
— Evan Bell (@evanbellKATU) October 28, 2024

Kimsey urges residents to report suspicious activity surrounding ballot boxes by contacting 9-1-1 for immediate emergencies and 3-1-1 for non-emergencies.

The drop box at the C-TRAN Transit Center has been replaced.

Ballots are due on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, by 8 p.m. Voters can mail ballots via USPS in the postage-paid envelope that came with their ballots. Voters also can drop their ballots in ballot boxes throughout the county. A list of locations is available on the Elections website clarkvotes.org.

Ballots deposited in drop boxes by 5:30 p.m. are picked up by elections workers and brought back to the Elections Office on the same day.

Voters also can take their ballots directly to the Elections Office at 1408 Franklin St. The elections office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and will be open Saturday, Nov. 2, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. On Tuesday, Nov. 5, the Elections Office is open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Find more information on the Elections website, clarkvotes.org.

The investigation remains active, and further updates are expected as authorities work to maintain a secure voting process.