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Officials in Washington recover about 475 damaged ballots from burned mailboxes


Officials in Washington recover about 475 damaged ballots from burned mailboxes

Officials in southwestern Washington state have recovered about 475 damaged ballots from a ballot box that was damaged in an incendiary-started fire – an arson that local police and the FBI are investigating.

The damaged ballots, separate from an unknown number of destroyed ballots, will be searched so workers can contact each voter to obtain a new ballot, Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey said. He said officials believe the damaged ballots were in good enough condition to determine the appropriate voter information.

Incendiary devices destroyed hundreds of ballots at a ballot box in Vancouver, Washington, and damaged three ballots at another ballot box in Portland, Oregon, on Monday morning, in what Kimsey called a “direct attack on democracy” just days before Election Day.

Both ballot boxes were equipped with fire suppression systems, but the system in the Vancouver ballot box failed, resulting in more ballots being destroyed.

HERE'S WHAT VOTERS CAN DO IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT FIRE CASES IN WASHINGTON, OREGON

Vehicle suspected of arson

Police released photos of a suspected vehicle allegedly involved in ballot box fires in Vancouver and Portland. (Portland Police Department)

According to authorities, investigators seized enough material from the incendiary devices on Monday to establish a connection between the two fires. The fires were also linked to an Oct. 8 incident in which an incendiary device was planted at another ballot box in Vancouver. No ballots were damaged in this incident.

Police said the incendiary devices were placed on the outside of the boxes.

The Portland Police Bureau released two surveillance photos of a black or dark-colored Volvo S-60 that it believes is related to the ballot box fires.

Image of a suspected arsonist at the ballot box

The Portland Police Bureau released images of the suspicious vehicle believed to be linked to ballot box fires in Portland and Vancouver. (Portland Police Department)

No arrests had been announced as of Tuesday evening.

Oregon Fires, Washington Ballot Boxes Connected, Police Identify 'Suspicious Vehicle': 'Attack on Democracy'

Kimsey told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that voters who dropped off their ballots at the transit center box after 11 a.m. Saturday should contact his office to receive a replacement ballot and urged voters to check the status to check your ballot at vote.wa.gov.

Officials are increasing the frequency with which ballots are removed from ballot boxes and police will increase patrols around ballot boxes, he said.

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Clark County Elections Office staff will also monitor ballot drop boxes 24 hours a day, seven days a week until the election is over. The workers will not confront anyone but will call the police if they see anything suspicious.

Stepheny Price of Fox News Digital and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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