According to the Clark County Auditor’s Office, the drop box was last emptied Saturday (Oct. 26) at 11 a.m.

Ken Vance, editor
Clark County Today

VANCOUVER – 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. 

Officers arrived and located a suspicious device next to the box. The ballot box was smoking and was on fire. Members of the Metro Explosive Disposal Unit (MEDU) arrived and safely collected the device, and the fire was extinguished. Detectives from the Vancouver Police Arson team and the Vancouver Fire Marshals also responded.

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

The FBI is continuing the investigation of this incident.

According to the Clark County Auditor’s Office, the drop box was last emptied Saturday (Oct. 26) at 11 a.m. Initial reports indicate hundreds of ballots were lost in the fire.

Voters can check the status of your ballot here and request a replacement ballot at clark.wa.gov/elections/need-replacement-ballot. The Clark County Elections Office can also be reached at (564) 397-2345 or elections@clark.wa.gov.

Monday’s incident comes after a suspicious device was found at a ballot drop box in downtown Vancouver earlier this month.

The FBI is coordinating with federal, state and local partners to actively investigate the two incidents in Vancouver and Portland, Oregon, in the early morning hours Monday to determine who is responsible. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact the nearest FBI office, provide information through tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324).

The Office of the Secretary of State issued the following statement about Monday’s incident.

“While an investigation is ongoing, we believe some ballots were damaged. We are confident the Clark County Auditor’s Office will work diligently to ensure that any impacted voters receive replacement ballots in time to participate in the 2024 general election,’’ read the statement.

“We take the safety of our election workers seriously and will not tolerate threats or acts of violence that seek to undermine the democratic process,” said Secretary of State Steve Hobbs. “I strongly denounce any acts of terror that aim to disrupt lawful and fair elections in Washington state. Despite this incident, I have complete confidence in our county elections official’s ability to keep Washington’s elections safe and secure for all voters.”

Voters are encouraged to check their ballot status online at www.votewa.gov to track its return status. If a returned ballot is not marked as “received,” voters can print a replacement ballot or visit their local elections department for a replacement.

Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez released a statement Monday about the ballot box fire, calling for an overnight police presence at all ballot boxes in Clark County between now and the Nov. 5 general election.

“Early this morning, a ballot drop box was set on fire at the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center, resulting in the destruction of hundreds of ballots. I am incredibly thankful to the local first responders who quickly arrived on scene, put out the fire, and salvaged the ballots they could,’’ Perez said. “There is absolutely zero place in our democracy for political violence or interference against our fellow citizens, election workers, or voting infrastructure. 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.

“Our right to vote needs to be protected under all circumstances. We can’t yield to intimidation, and we must continue to stand up against unpatriotic acts such as this one,’’ Perez added. “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.

“I am requesting an overnight law enforcement presence be posted at all ballot drop boxes in Clark County through Election Day. Southwest Washington cannot risk a single vote being lost to arson and political violence. I’ll continue to closely monitor this situation and share resources and updates with constituents who may have been affected.”

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