Ballots Go Up in Flames in Three States – What’s Really Going On Behind the Scenes?

As Election Day draws near, the atmosphere is charged with a troubling series of ballot drop box fires, impacting voters in three states and raising concerns about the safety of voting infrastructure. Federal officials have flagged recent social media activity as a source of encouragement for tampering with ballot drop boxes, a troubling development for election authorities working to ensure a smooth electoral process.

In Portland, Oregon, authorities responded early Monday morning to a report of a fire started by an incendiary device inside a ballot drop box. The Multnomah County Elections Division reported that, fortunately, the box’s built-in fire suppressant protected nearly all of the ballots. Only three were damaged, according to the statement from the county.

But the day’s incidents didn’t stop there. Hours later in Vancouver, Washington, another ballot drop box was set ablaze. This time, the fire suppression system failed, leaving “hundreds” of ballots either burned or soaking wet. “The majority of the ballots are completely destroyed and the remaining ballots are severely damaged and very very wet,” stated Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey. In response, his office has increased the frequency of ballot pickups to ensure ballots aren’t left vulnerable in drop boxes for extended periods. Kimsey, who has been in his position for over two decades, expressed dismay over the fires, saying, “It’s heartbreaking. It’s a direct attack on democracy.”

The Portland Police believe the two fires may be connected, though an investigation, with the help of the FBI, is ongoing. Meanwhile, officials in both Oregon and Washington are asking voters who used the affected drop boxes over the weekend to get in touch, allowing officials to help ensure every vote is counted. In Washington, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs addressed these acts, referring to them as “acts of terror.” He encouraged voters to use online tools to check the status of their ballots, allowing them to print replacement ballots or vote in person if needed.

The incident has stirred political reactions. U.S. Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a Democrat in Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, urged law enforcement to monitor drop boxes in her district. Gluesenkamp Perez faces a tight race after her narrow victory in 2022, where she won by fewer than 3,000 votes. Her opponent, Republican Joe Kent, condemned the fire as “a cowardly act of domestic terrorism,” uniting both candidates in denouncing these incidents.

Just last week, in a separate incident, a 35-year-old Arizona man named Dieter Klofkorn admitted to setting fire to a USPS mailbox in Phoenix on October 24. According to the Phoenix Police Department, Klofkorn stated he wanted to be arrested and clarified that his actions were “not politically motivated” or related to the upcoming election.

For states like Oregon and Washington, which conduct elections entirely by mail and drop boxes, these incidents raise unique challenges and heighten concerns about ballot security. In Arizona, where most voters also cast ballots early through mail or drop boxes, ballot drop boxes have been a hot topic since 2020, often appearing in conspiracy theories and unfounded claims about election security. Max Read, a senior research manager at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, commented on the trend, stating that “Small-scale incidents like these arsons can be used to support and bolster those claims going forward.”

Recent intelligence reports highlight that ballot drop boxes are frequently targeted by online discussions among domestic extremists with grievances related to election outcomes. In a report released by the Department of Homeland Security in September, ballot drop boxes were described as “soft targets.” Similar online dialogues circulated during the 2020 election cycle, when incidents in Los Angeles and Boston damaged numerous ballots in ballot box fires.

However, Read stresses that such isolated incidents shouldn’t cast doubt on the overall security of voting by drop box. “These drop boxes have been thought through and have these measures in place. And people should not allow these isolated incidents to undermine their trust in these voting methods, which are generally extremely secure,” he said.

As of Monday afternoon, data from the University of Florida’s Election Lab reported nearly three million early votes cast in Oregon, Washington, and Arizona. Despite these challenges, election officials across these states continue to work toward a secure and accessible voting process, with voters urged to stay informed on their ballot status and reach out if they suspect their vote may have been impacted.