Amid warnings from US federal authorities of threats "to disrupt the democratic process", early ballot collection boxes have been set on fire in two states.
A box in Washington State and another in Oregon were set ablaze on Monday, while the incendiary devices planted in two others failed to detonate, according to local officials.
Another ballot box in Washington was burnt last October 8, and officials said the attacks were somehow connected because of the resemblance of the devices used.
Meanwhile, in Florida, a container and a bag containing ballots was found in the side of the road, according to the Miami Herald.
The officials downplayed the problem saying that they already had their seals intact, and they have already scanned and tabulated.
According to a report from Herald, the local election official reported that the container and the bag had fallen off a truck because the door was not locked and that the driver has been dismissed.
Videos of the discovery of the ballots have surfaced on X.
Official election day is next Tuesday, but most states have begun early polling that allows voters to get ballots which they can send by post, put in ballot boxes, or deposit in person at polling places depending on the state procedures.
The Department of Homeland Security and other law enforcement agencies issued a series of bulletins to local officials warning that "domestic violent extremists" (DVEs) were planning to disrupt the elections with attacks on politicians, candidates, poll workers, and judges, as well as on ballot boxes, campaign events and polling booths.
The bulletins were issued by an NGO called 'Property of the People' that aims to make public government information.
One bulletin aptly warned that extremists were discussing attacks on ballot drop boxes where early votes are deposited.
"Some social media users are discussing and encouraging various methods of sabotaging ballot drop boxes and avoiding detection, likely heightening the potential for targeting of this election infrastructure through the 2024 election cycle," the bulletin said.
Election infrastructure remains an attractive target for some DVEs and other threat actors with election-related grievances. Some threat actors may view ballot drop boxes as 'soft targets' because they are more accessible, " it said.
Another bulletin said the threats were coming from extreme right-wing groups such as Proud Boys.
"The 2024 presidential election cycle continues to reflect a divergence in current US political and social ideologies," it said.
According to the bulletin, the two attempts to assassinate former President Donald Trump "will continue to increase hostile ideologically-motivated rhetoric, as well as conspiracy theories and disinformation. "
"Internationally, wars between key socio-political allies will continue to have a large impact on foreign policy, which will cause cascading effects within the US political arena," it added.
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