# Hundreds of ballots are destroyed after fires are set in ballot drop boxes in Oregon and Washington **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 28, 2024, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355 "2024-10-28T16:57:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2024, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/41 "2024-10-28T19:56:55Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > > [@dtilque](#): > > > > I’m impressed that these boxes had fire suppression devices inside. Someone anticipated this kind of attack. The one in Portland worked, but for some reason the one in Vancouver failed, which is why so many ballots were destroyed there. > > Well, different states. Perhaps Washington didn’t take the precautions Oregon did. If you read the article linked to in the OP, it says both had fire suppression, but the one in Vancouver failed to work. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2024, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/42 "2024-10-28T20:00:42Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > One of the two Votemasters is a world-renowned computer scientist and he thinks that electronic voting would be a _terrible_ idea. Indeed it would be. Even if no one managed to hack the site, it’d probably be subject to frequent DDoS attacks. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2024, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/43 "2024-10-28T20:04:03Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Portland still exists? I thought it was burned to the ground in the BLM riots? Obviously, the liberals are lying with their claims that there are people voting in Portland and the brave patriots who are setting fire to those votes are just trying to restore the truth. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2024, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/44 "2024-10-28T20:04:50Z")
> [@Win\_Place\_Show](#): > > I think our friend **Smapti** is from up around that part of the country? I’m in Olympia, about a hundred miles to the north. Vancouver is in a purple congressional district - Jaime Herrera-Beutler was their congresswoman for ten years until she got primaried for voting to impeach Trump, then a Democrat narrowly won the election in 2022. I believe it’s a pretty close race this year. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2024, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/45 "2024-10-28T20:14:33Z")
It is interesting that they lit up boxes in both Vancouver and Portland, rather than attacking multiple boxes in the same county. This may support the notion that its primary goal was to create chaos, with the hopes of affecting election confidence in two states rather than just one. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2024, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/46 "2024-10-28T22:20:07Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > I’m impressed that these boxes had fire suppression devices inside. That’s probably not cheap either. Creating jobs! ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2024, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/47 "2024-10-28T22:24:27Z")
Because they can, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2024, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/48 "2024-10-28T22:27:15Z")
> [@dougrb](#): > > That’s probably not cheap either. Creating jobs! This made me picture small firemen hiding in ballot drop boxes, waiting to spring into action if someone tries to light them up. “No one expects the Miniature Fire Fighters!” ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2024, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/49 "2024-10-28T22:52:21Z")
[![](https://i.imgflip.com/3b5xs9.jpg) ](https://i.imgflip.com/3b5xs9.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2024, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/50 "2024-10-28T22:59:42Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > It is interesting that they lit up boxes in both Vancouver and Portland, rather than attacking multiple boxes in the same county. This may support the notion that its primary goal was to create chaos, with the hopes of affecting election confidence in two states rather than just one. Vancouver WA is just over the Columbia River from Portland, which also serves as the border between WA and OR. Lots of people commute to Portland from Vancouver WA, so you could think of it as being in the Greater Portland area. Also, IIRC it’s the home base of the Proud Boys. One looney trying to sow chaos could easily decide to hit both spots, and depending on traffic could hit both sites in an hour. Vote early so you can track your vote. At least in this instance, there is still plenty of time for affected voters to get a new ballot and re-vote. At least in WA (assume OR is similar), you get a bar code to track your vote. The elections commission send a text when your ballot gets mailed to you, and you get a confirmation when your ballot has been received. If you’re paying any kind of attention, you’ll know if someone is trying to get your ballot or vote on your behalf. My ballot went in the drop box yesterday, and I just got the confirmation text. learn all about it [How ballots are handled - King County, Washington](https://kce.wiki/process) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2024, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/51 "2024-10-28T23:05:28Z")
Since it involved crossing state lines, the penalties will quite likely be much higher. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2024, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/52 "2024-10-28T23:12:02Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I’m in Olympia, about a hundred miles to the north. Vancouver is in a purple congressional district My sister and BiL just moved to Olympia late last year. I’m sure they’ll be voting for the Dem. Two more for the count! ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2024, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/53 "2024-10-28T23:53:08Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > My sister and BiL just moved to Olympia late last year. I’m sure they’ll be voting for the Dem. Two more for the count! Olympia is its own congressional district and it’s a safe blue seat, although our current congresswoman is a little too centrist for my liking. Vancouver is part of the 3rd district, which stretches from the south end of this county all the way to the state line and from the coast to the mountains, so it’s a mix of urban areas like Vancouver, small-ish cities that lean red like Centralia, coastal resort towns, and farm country. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2024, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/54 "2024-10-28T23:58:07Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > One looney trying to sow chaos could easily decide to hit both spots, and depending on traffic could hit both sites in an hour. These attacks took place in the very early morning, one of them at 4:00 a.m. I’m sure they had no problem with traffic. I’m sure this was a single person or small group doing it. Why they decided to hit both states is a good question. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2024, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/55 "2024-10-29T00:13:56Z")
The good news is that poor decision ensures Federal involvement in an interstate crime. Stupid fucks. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2024, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/56 "2024-10-29T00:15:09Z")
Portland and Vancouver are right next to each other, easy to hit both in one evening. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2024, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/57 "2024-10-29T00:20:46Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Stupid fucks. > Police also released photos of a car they said was linked to the incidents, which they described as a dark-coloured Volvo. They are driving a Volvo. ---
**Author:** ![Win\_Place\_Show](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/win_place_show/32/13469_2.png) [@Win\_Place\_Show](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Win_Place_Show)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2024, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/58 "2024-10-29T00:22:05Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Portland and Vancouver are right next to each other, easy to hit both in one evening. I guess not to get off on too much of a tangent but is there a toll road / bridge between the two? Here in DFW on all our tollroads you just keep hauling ass through the scanners and they take a picture of your license plate and bill you. About 10 years ago there was a sort of locally prolific murder where the boyfriend dumped the girlfriend’s body in an undeveloped part of the city I’m in, and they easily tracked him down by pulling records of him going northbound on the tollway, and then about 20 minutes later going back southbound. ---
**Author:** ![Tabco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tabco/32/7644_2.png) [@Tabco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabco)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2024, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/59 "2024-10-29T00:23:05Z")
There are two bridges linking the two cities, the I-5 and I-205 bridges. Neither currently has tolls, although the idea has been floated lately with regards to funding for the replacement I-5 bridge (the current one is over a century old). I was surprised to learn about the ballot box fires. I work in Vancouver but cast my ballot in nearby Camas, where I live. The ballot tracking portal confirms mine was received. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2024, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355/60 "2024-10-29T00:27:22Z")
The politics of Portland and Vancouver, Wa are not similar at all. Portland is reliably liberal blue, and Vancouver is much more conservative. I think some activist with a lighter doesn’t know the difference. Which ballots were they trying to destroy? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hundreds-of-ballots-are-destroyed-after-fires-are-set-in-ballot-drop-boxes-in-oregon-and-washington/1009355.md?page=4)