With just days until Election Day, hundreds of ballots were destroyed by fires this week at two ballot drop boxes in the Pacific Northwest, and investigators are searching for a culprit they say is responsible for both, writes CNN.
Many of the ballots in a drop box in Portland were unaffected, but hundreds of ballots were destroyed in a second ballot box fire in nearby Vancouver, Washington, election officials said. The incidents are believed to be related to a third incident earlier this month in Vancouver.
On Wednesday workers will begin searching through the damaged ballots for voter information in order to contact them about getting a new ballot, said Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey, according to the Associated Press. Officials believe that although damaged, the workers will be able to pull voter information from the ballots, he told the AP.
The damaged ballots are separate from an unknown number that were destroyed, Kimsey said.
Devices at both scenes Monday and a ballot box earlier in the month were marked with the words “Free Gaza”, the New York Times reported, citing 2 law enforcement officials. The outlet said investigators are trying to determine if the suspect is a pro-Palestinian activist or someone trying sow discord.
CNN has reached out to the Portland Police Bureau, which declined to comment on the reported writing on the devices, but said they were sent for forensic analysis where they will be examined for “unique writings and markings”. CNN also reached out to the Vancouver Police Department, which referred inquiries to the FBI. The FBI also declined to comment.