Hundreds of Ballots Destroyed in Fire at US Presidential Election Ballot Box... Will It Fuel Conspiracy Theories?

[US Election 2024]
Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Others Experience Consecutive Ballot Box Fires

Amid early voting for the U.S. presidential election, authorities have launched an investigation after a fire at ballot boxes in some areas destroyed hundreds of ballots.

According to CNN on the 28th (local time), a fire broke out around 3:30 a.m. at two ballot boxes located in Portland, Oregon, in the western United States. The fire was extinguished by local security personnel, but three ballots were burned. On the same day, a ballot box at a transit center in Vancouver, Washington, was also engulfed in flames. It was confirmed that hundreds of ballots were destroyed as a result.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Police who responded to the reports confirmed that incendiary devices had been installed inside all the ballot boxes in Oregon and Washington. They also captured vehicles stopping near the ballot boxes on closed-circuit television (CCTV), placing emphasis on the possibility of arson. Notably, Vancouver had experienced a fire at a ballot box on the 8th of this month as well. Police believe the three incidents are connected and are conducting a joint investigation with local judicial authorities.

Both Washington and Oregon are regions where voting is conducted by mail. Voters receive ballots several weeks before Election Day and either mail them back or directly deposit them into ballot boxes installed at various locations. The election commission plans to allow voters whose ballots were damaged to vote again by using the unique identification numbers on the ballot envelopes.

Steve Hobbs, Washington Secretary of State, stated, "We will never tolerate threats or acts of violence aimed at undermining democratic processes," and added, "We strongly condemn all acts of terrorism that interfere with Washington State’s lawful and fair election."

As early voting heats up in November’s election, especially in battleground states, election authorities and police are paying close attention to security. There are concerns that some supporters might engage in aggressive behavior, particularly given former President Donald Trump’s history of inciting conspiracy theories about early mail-in voting.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warned, "Domestic extremists may target publicly accessible locations such as ballot boxes for violent acts in the weeks before and after the November election." Last week in Phoenix, Arizona?one of the seven battleground states?a fire at a mailbox next to a post office damaged some ballots. Police charged a 35-year-old man as a suspect but stated that the act was not politically motivated.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.