Hundreds of ballots in the states of Washington and Oregon were burned by incendiary devices left at ballot drop boxes just a week before the November 5 presidential election, according to officials.
The police announced on Monday that at least one ballot box was torched at a drop location in the southeastern area of Portland, Oregon. According to media reports, one ballot box in the Washington town of Vancouver also reportedly caught fire.
Portland early morning fire at the ballot box was quickly put out by a suppression system in the box and a nearby security guard, police said, adding that only three ballot boxes were damaged.
However, hundreds of burned ballots were reported in Vancouver fire, according to the election officials, who said the incident was "an attempt to disenfranchise" voters, Xinhua news agency reported.
A suspect vehicle seen leaving the scene of the fire in Portland has been identified, authorities said on Monday, which is believed to be tied to two similar incidents in Vancouver as well.
"We don't know the motive behind these acts," Portland Police Bureau assistant chief Amanda McMillan said in a press release. "We do know acts like this are targeted and they're intentional and we're concerned about that intentional act trying to impact the election process."
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement, "The United States remains in a heightened, dynamic threat environment and we continue to share information with our law enforcement partners about the threats posed by domestic violent extremists in the context of the 2024 election."
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