The FBI is involved in ballot box fires in Washington and Oregon – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country

Early Monday morning, a ballot box caught fire in the city of Portland in the US state of Oregon. A few hours later, in the neighboring city of Vancouver in the state of Washington, another fire in a ballot box was caught on camera by a TV crew. Altogether, hundreds of advance votes have been destroyed. The police suspect that it is a case of arson, and the FBI is involved in the case. The White House is now working with local authorities to provide new ballots to people who had their ballots destroyed. Wanted dark Volvo A dark Volvo now wanted in connection with the fires. The car was seen on a surveillance camera at the ballot box on fire in Portland, just before security guards discovered the fire in the ballot box, writes AP. The wanted car that the police believe is connected to the suspected arson attacks on ballot boxes in Washington and Oregon. Photo: Jenny Kane / AP Both fires are said to have started after a fire extinguisher was attached to the ballot boxes. In Portland, only three advance votes were destroyed. Both the ballot boxes in Portland and Vancouver have a built-in fire suppression system, which is activated when the temperature reaches a certain point. This system was activated in Portland, but not in the urn in Vancouver. The police also connect the two fires to a third fire in a ballot box in Vancouver on 8 October. Then no ballot papers were damaged. So far no arrests have been made. – Direct attack on democracy Hundreds of votes in the ballot box in Vancouver were lost as a result of the fire prevention system not working, county auditor Greg Kimsey told AP. Kimsey describes it as “heartbreaking”. – It is a direct attack on democracy, he told AP. The ballot boxes were last emptied at 11 o’clock local time on Saturday 26 October, according to the county auditor. Those who put their votes in the urn after this can get in touch to get a new voting seat, says Kimsey. Going forward, the ballot papers will be collected more often and in the evening to prevent them from being full overnight, he tells AP. A person places a voting seat in the replacement ballot box in Vancouver, after the previous one was destroyed in what police suspect is arson. Photo: John Rudoff / Reuters Venta close race in the election Vancouver is the largest city in Washington’s third congressional district. A close race is expected between the Democratic representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and the Republican challenger Joe Kent, write CBC. – I hope the perpetrator behind this reprehensible act will soon be apprehended. The local and federal law enforcement agencies have my full support in their efforts to keep our democratic processes safe and secure, Perez said in a statement. Multnomah County Mayor in Oregon and Democrat Jessica Vega Pederson made an appeal after hearing the news. – Please don’t let this incident or anything else that happens between now and election day prevent you from expressing yourself through voting, Pederson said. Published 30.10.2024, at 22.32



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