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US ELECTION SABOTAGE FEARS GROW AFTER BALLOT BOXES SET AFLAME  
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Jessica Corbett
October 29, 2024
Common Dreams [[link removed]]

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_ "Make no mistake, an attack on a ballot box is an attack on our
democracy and completely unacceptable," said Oregon's secretary of
state _

A fire occurred around before dawn at a ballot box in Portland,
Oregon on October 28, 2024, Portland Police Bureau

 

Law enforcement officials in the Pacific Northwest are investigating a
pair of Monday morning fires at ballot drop boxes that have heightened
concerns [[link removed]] about
illegal efforts to interfere with the November 5 elections.

One fire occurred around 3:30 am Pacific time on Southeast Morrison
Street in Portland, Oregon. The Portland Police Bureau explained
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"by the time officers arrived, the fire had already been extinguished
by security personnel who work in the area. Officers determined an
incendiary device was placed inside the ballot box and used to ignite
the fire."

Multnomah County noted
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in a separate statement that "fire suppressant inside the ballot box
protected virtually all the ballots," and the three voters whose
ballots were damaged will be contacted by officials so they can
receive replacements.

"Make no mistake, an attack on a ballot box is an attack on our
democracy and completely unacceptable," declared
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Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade. "Whatever the
motivation behind this incident, there is no justification for any
attempt to disenfranchise voters."

Griffin-Valade, a Democrat, commended the Multnomah County Elections
Division, thanked first responders, and stressed that the few impacted
voters are being contacted, which "shows that our systems are safe and
secure."

However, the other fire at Fisher's Landing Transit Center in
Vancouver, Washington damaged up to hundreds of ballots. Clark County
election officials are urging
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anyone who dropped off a ballot there after 11:00 am Pacific time on
Saturday to contact them.

This year, at the national level, voters are set to choose the next
president—Republican former President Donald Trump
[[link removed]] or Democratic Vice
President Kamala Harris—and which party controls each chamber of
Congress. There is a tight congressional contest in Washington's 3rd
Congressional District, which includes Vancouver.

Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.), co-chair of the Blue
Dog Coalition, is seeking a second term as the district's
representative. Her Republican challenger is the same as the last
cycle: Joe Kent.

In response to the apparent arson, _Cook Political Report_'s Dave
Wasserman pointed out
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that "in 2022, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D) only beat Joe Kent (R) here
by 2,629 votes. The rematch is a toss-up."

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, a Democrat, stressed
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Monday that "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."

"I strongly denounce any acts of terror that aim to disrupt lawful and
fair elections in Washington state," he added. "Despite this incident,
I have complete confidence in our county elections officials' ability
to keep Washington's elections safe and secure for all voters."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said
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statement that it "is coordinating with federal, state, and local
partners to actively investigate the two incidents" and "anyone with
information is asked to contact the nearest FBI office, provide
information through tips.fbi.gov [[link removed]], or call
1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324)."

As _CNN_reported
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Monday:

Last week, a mailbox outside a Phoenix post office was set on fire,
damaging an unknown number of ballots. A 35-year-old man was charged
with arson in connection with the incident. The Phoenix Police
Department said he told them it was not politically motivated.

The fires come after the FBI and Department of Homeland Security
recently issued a bulletin raising concerns [about] "election-related
grievances," such as a belief in voter fraud, could motivate domestic
extremists to engage in violence in the weeks before and after the
November election.

In the intelligence bulletin obtained by _CNN_, the agencies said some
domestic violent extremists likely see publicly accessible locations,
including ballot drop boxes, as "attractive targets."

Throughout this cycle, Democrats and other Trump critics have
expressed concern that the Republican nominee will refuse to accept
defeat if Harris wins, emphasizing that after his 2020 loss to
President Joe Biden, he launched a series of unsuccessful legal
challenges and incited the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S.
Capitol.

Trump's campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City on
Sunday night further stoked
[[link removed]] such fears.
Kathleen Belew, a Northwestern University associate professor of
history who studies the U.S. white supremacist movement, asserted
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at the event, "fascism is on full display, openly: no dog whistles, no
plausible deniability."

The blazes at the ballot boxes sparked similar concerns. _Semafor_
editor-in-chief Ben Smith said
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spoiler alert... the _Succession_ finale, itself drawn from nightmare
election scenarios drawn up by wonks."

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Jessica Corbett is a senior editor and staff writer for Common Dreams.

* Election 2024; Voting Rights; Election Sabotage; Oregon;
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