FBI offers $25K reward in ballot box arson investigation

Nov 14, 2024

Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

Federal authorities are investigating a series of ballot box fires in Oregon and Washington, offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect. The attacks, which occurred days before the 2024 election, destroyed or damaged hundreds of ballots and raised concerns about election security in states heavily reliant on mail-in voting.

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The FBI described the suspect as a white male in his 30s or 40s with thinning or very short hair. Investigators believe he may have metalworking or welding experience.

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Surveillance footage shows the suspect driving a dark-colored 2003 to 2004 Volvo S-60 sedan with dark wheels and a light-colored interior. The car had a fraudulent temporary Washington license plate on the rear and no front plate but authorities warned the fraudulent plate may no longer be on the vehicle.

The #FBI offers a reward of up to $25,000 for info leading to the identification, arrest, & conviction of the suspect responsible for setting incendiary fires at ballot boxes in Vancouver, WA, & Portland, OR, in Oct 2024: https://t.co/a3hhyZnp0Z pic.twitter.com/amEckWg3ta
— FBI Most Wanted (@FBIMostWanted) November 13, 2024

The first incident occurred on Oct. 8 in Vancouver, Washington, when a ballot box was set on fire. No ballots were damaged.

On Oct. 28, improvised incendiary devices targeted ballot boxes in Vancouver and Portland within a two-hour window. Nearly 500 ballots were destroyed or damaged in Vancouver. A fire suppression system in the Portland drop box saved all but three ballots.

The incendiary devices were marked with messages such as “Free Gaza” and “Free Palestine.” Investigators are determining whether the messages reflect genuine political views or were intended to exploit existing political divisions.

Portland police noted the devices displayed detailed welding work, suggesting the suspect has advanced technical skills.

William Brooks, acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s Portland office, said the attacks undermine the rights of voters in both states.

“Voters in Oregon and Washington deserve answers, and their voices cannot be silenced by violent actions,” Brooks said.

Election officials have mailed replacement ballots to affected voters where possible. However, some ballots were destroyed. Oregon and Washington rely predominantly on mail-in voting and ballot drop boxes. In-person voting only accounts for a small fraction of ballots cast.

The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities urge anyone with information to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov.

Tags: 2024 Elections, Bomb, Bombing, Election security, FBI, Oregon, Portland, Washington

[Lauren]

BALLOT BOX FIRES IN OREGON AND WASHINGTON SPARKED A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION, NOW THE FBI IS OFFERING A $25,000 REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO AN ARREST.

AS STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED, THE COORDINATED ATTACKS, WHICH OCCURRED JUST DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTION, DESTROYED HUNDREDS OF BALLOTS AND RAISED SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT ELECTION SECURITY IN TWO STATES THAT HEAVILY RELY ON MAIL-IN VOTING.

AUTHORITIES DESCRIBE THE SUSPECT AS A WHITE MAN IN HIS 30S OR 40S WITH THINNING OR VERY SHORT HAIR, POSSIBLY WITH METALWORKING OR WELDING EXPERIENCE. SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE CAPTURED HIM DRIVING A DARK-COLORED 2003 TO 2004 VOLVO S-60 SEDAN WITH DARK WHEELS AND A LIGHT-COLORED INTERIOR. THE CAR HAD A FAKE TEMPORARY WASHINGTON LICENSE PLATE ON THE REAR AND NO FRONT PLATE. OFFICIALS WARN THE FRAUDULENT PLATE MAY NO LONGER BE ON THE VEHICLE.

THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 8TH IN VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON, BUT NO BALLOTS WERE DAMAGED. ON OCTOBER 28TH, IMPROVISED INCENDIARY DEVICES WERE PLACED IN BALLOT BOXES IN VANCOUVER AND PORTLAND WITHIN A TWO-HOUR SPAN. NEARLY 500 BALLOTS WERE DESTROYED OR DAMAGED IN VANCOUVER, WHILE IN PORTLAND, A FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM SAVED ALL BUT THREE BALLOTS.

INVESTIGATORS SAY THE DEVICES USED IN THE ATTACKS WERE MARKED WITH MESSAGES LIKE “FREE GAZA” AND “FREE PALESTINE.” THEY ARE WORKING TO DETERMINE WHETHER THESE MESSAGES REFLECT GENUINE POLITICAL VIEWS OR WERE INTENDED TO EXPLOIT EXISTING POLITICAL DIVISIONS. PORTLAND POLICE NOTED THE DEVICES DISPLAYED DETAILED WELDING WORK, SUGGESTING THE SUSPECT HAS ADVANCED TECHNICAL SKILLS.

WILLIAM BROOKS, THE ACTING SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE OF THE FBI’S PORTLAND OFFICE, STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF HOLDING THE SUSPECT ACCOUNTABLE, SAYING THAT VOTERS IN OREGON AND WASHINGTON DESERVE ANSWERS AND THAT NO INDIVIDUAL’S VIOLENT ACTIONS SHOULD UNDERMINE THEIR RIGHTS.

ELECTION OFFICIALS HAVE WORKED TO MITIGATE THE DAMAGE, MAILING REPLACEMENT BALLOTS TO AFFECTED VOTERS WHERE POSSIBLE.

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