VANCOUVER, Wash. — Election workers in Clark County have made great strides in identifying voters whose ballots were damaged in an arson attack on an east Vancouver ballot box early Monday morning, county officials said. However, a handful of ballots remain a mystery — and it's unknown how many burned to ash.
Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey released photos Tuesday of ballots spread out on tables in the county elections office, with fans running to dry the paper both singed by fire and dampened by rain.
According to the county's update Wednesday, election workers have been able to connect voters to 488 damaged ballots. As of the evening prior, 345 voters had already contacted the county elections office to request a replacement. Another 143 will be mailed out to voters by Thursday, the county said.
READ MORE: Here's what to do if you think your ballot was destroyed in Washington, Oregon ballot box fires
But election workers know of at least six ballots which have not been linked to a voter, and the county acknowledged that some additional ballots may have been completely destroyed in the fire.
“I appreciate everyone’s understanding and patience as we work through this unprecedented event,” said Kimsey. “We have taken action that I hope will increase voters’ confidence in using the county’s ballot drop boxes.”
Kimsey added that ballot-processing procedures ensure that only one ballot will be counted for any one voter, including in these cases where replacements are issued.
Drop boxes in Clark County will now be emptied before 5:30 p.m. each day, officials said, and ballots dropped off before that time will go to the elections office the same day.
Meanwhile, the Clark County Sheriff's Office and Vancouver Police Department have increased patrols around ballot boxes, and the elections office has hired on people to watch each of the 22 boxes in Clark County around the clock until Election Day.
For those still feeling nervous about the use of drop boxes, Kimsey reminded voters that ballots can be mailed in as long as they're postmarked no later than Nov. 5. Ballots can also be delivered directly to the Clark County Elections Office at 1408 Franklin Street.
Monday's ballot box fire has been linked to two others: an arson the same morning at a ballot box in Portland, and an earlier attempt to burn a different box in Vancouver. Investigators have reason to believe that all three attempts were done by the same suspect, with the New York Times reporting Tuesday that pro-Palestinian messages were left on the incendiary devices used by the suspect.
Authorities in Portland released more details about the suspect during a press conference Wednesday. But the motive for the attacks remains unclear, and investigators have indicated that the messages on the devices are not necessarily being taken at face value in a political climate as charged as this one.
