2 ballot boxes torched near Portland, Ore., hundreds of ballots damaged

Two ballot boxes were acceptable connected fire successful the Portland, Ore., country connected Monday morning, authorities said.

Officials said hundreds of ballots were apt damaged successful the fires successful southeast Portland and the bluish suburb of Vancouver, Wash., section NBC affiliate KGW reported.

Photos from some scenes appeared to amusement tiny holes successful the boxes wherever incendiary devices were perchance inserted. No suspects were instantly identified oregon arrested.

Portland constabulary spotted the archetypal fire astir 3:30 a.m. astatine a ballot container SE Morrison St., according to a property release. By the clip officers arrived, information unit successful the country had already doused the fire.

“Officers determined an incendiary instrumentality was placed wrong the ballot container and utilized to ignite the fire,” the Portland Police Bureau said successful a property release. A constabulary explosives portion located the instrumentality and cleared it.

About 3 hours later, a fire was spotted successful a container astatine Fisher’s Landing Transit Depot successful Vancouver, section ABC affiliate KATU reported.

The region auditor said hundreds of ballots could person been damaged, arsenic ballots from the container were past picked up astir 11 a.m. Saturday, according to KGW.

Both fires were started conscionable implicit a week earlier Election Day connected Nov. 5. Early voting began successful galore states crossed the state past week, with radical dropping disconnected ballots successful boxes successful their communities.

Portland and Vancouver voted overwhelmingly successful favour of Joe Biden implicit Donald Trump successful the 2020 statesmanlike election, and Pacific Northwestern cities are well-known for backing Democratic candidates implicit Republicans.

Also connected Monday morning, U.S. quality agencies warned that domestic extremists inspired by conspiracy theories are the biggest menace to the election.