Fire in Vancouver WA ballot dropbox could affect hard-fought 3rd Congressional District race
An “incendiary device” was placed in an election dropbox about 4:30 a.m. Monday in Vancouver, Washington, destroying and damaging hundreds of ballots.
The resulting fire in the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center dropbox could affect one of the closest congressional races in the nation, and one that directly affects south Thurston County voters in the 3rd Congressional District.
A similar incident had occurred 30 minutes earlier in Portland, across the Columbia River from Vancouver, but with less impact. Just three ballots were burned in the 1000 block of Southeast Morrison Street, according to a news release from Multnomah County Elections Director Tim Scott, when someone lit an explosive and put it in the ballot box. The rest of the ballots were protected because of fire suppressant in the box, Scott said.
“There is absolutely zero place in our democracy for political violence or interference against our fellow citizens, election workers, or voting infrastructure,” U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez said in a statement issued about 11:30 a.m. “I hope the perpetrator of this reprehensible act is quickly apprehended – and local and federal law enforcement have my full support in working to keep our democratic process safe and secure.
“Your vote matters, so I encourage everyone who dropped off a ballot this weekend at the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center to get in touch with the Clark County Elections Office and request a replacement.”
She also called for “overnight law enforcement presence at all ballot drop boxes in Clark County through Election Day.”
According to the Clark County Auditor, the drop box at 3510 SE 164th Ave. was last emptied about 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. All voters in Washington state can check the status of their ballots online.
The incident comes after a suspicious device was found at a ballot drop box in downtown Vancouver earlier this month. Police found a device inside another drop box on Oct. 8, but there were no ballots inside at the time. Ballots were mailed to voters Oct. 18.
Gluesenkamp Perez, the Democrat who now represents the 3rd District, is running against Republican Joe Kent.
The Fisher’s Landing Transit Center is in a Democratic part of Vancouver, and could affect the Congressional race that is critical to which party will control the House, where Republicans now have a small majority.
The 3rd District covers much of southwest Washington, including Lewis, Pacific, Wahkiakum, Cowlitz, Clark and Skamania counties as well as a small portion of Thurston County.
Perez defeated Kent by 2,629 votes in 2022, but her lead was 22,187 votes in Clark County, election results show.
“I strongly denounce any acts of terror that aim to disrupt lawful and fair elections in Washington state,” Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said in a statement Monday. “Despite this incident, I have complete confidence in our county elections officials’ ability to keep Washington’s elections safe and secure.”
Washington State Democratic Party Chair Shasti Conrad also expressed confidence in the state’s election system.
“Washington Democrats trust law enforcement and the Clark County Auditor to find those responsible and hold them accountable,” she said in a statement. “Voting is safe and easy, and Washington state is proud to have one of the most secure elections systems in the country. We take the rights of every voter extremely seriously.”
However, she encouraged anyone with questions about voting or who wants to report suspicious activity involving elections to call Washington State Democrats’ Voter Protection Hotline at 206-309-VOTE (8683).
This story was originally published October 28, 2024 at 12:19 PM with the headline "Fire in Vancouver WA ballot dropbox could affect hard-fought 3rd Congressional District race."