Ballot boxes burned in Oregon, Washington

Authorities are investigating after two ballot drop boxes were burned in Oregon and Washington on Monday, just more than a week out from Election Day.

Officers determined an incendiary device was placed inside a ballot box in Portland, Ore., when they responded to reports of a fire around 3:30 a.m. local time, according to the Portland Police Bureau.

Fire suppressant inside the ballot box protected “virtually all” the ballots inside, according to Multnomah County Elections Director Tim Scott, though three ballots were damaged. The affected voters will be contacted for replacements.

“We have multiple systems and security measures in place to ensure your ballot is safe," Scott told Oregonians in a release.

Around 4 a.m. PDT in nearby Vancouver, Wash., officers responded to an arson at another ballot box and discovered a “suspicious device” nearby, according to a release from the Vancouver Police Department, as reported by local outlets, and officials say hundreds of ballots could be damaged.

The FBI is coordinating with federal, state and local partners to investigate the two incidents and determine who is responsible, according to an update from the FBI Portland. The Hill has reached out to Clark County officials for more.

Washington State Democratic Party Chair Shasti Conrad called the incident “an attempt to disenfranchise Washington voters through the destruction of ballots."

“Washington Democrats trust law enforcement and the Clark County Auditor to find those responsible and hold them accountable. Voting is safe and easy, and Washington state is proud to have one of the most secure elections systems in the country,” Conrad said in a release.

Officials said at a press conference on Monday that early evidence suggests the incidents are connected, though investigations are ongoing and there were no further details on a potential motive in either case. A suspect vehicle has been identified.

Officials also suggested a possible connection to a third incident in Washington earlier this month, when police responded to possible arson at ballot drop box in Vancouver. That ballot drop box, though, was not compromised, according to a release at the time.

The latest incidents come eight days before Election Day amid highly competitive races for the White House and Congress.

Portland Police Bureau assistant chief Amanda McMillian told reporters that officials are "acutely aware" of "heightened emotion around this event as we build up to the election," and emphasized that teams are dedicated to protecting the voting process.

The two drop boxes affected on Monday are also roughly 15 miles apart. Portland and Vancouver both sit along the Washington-Oregon border, separated by the Columbia River, and both are vote-by-mail states.

In the Vancouver area, Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Republican challenger Joe Kent are battling for Washington’s 3rd Congressional District in what’s set to be one of the closest House races in the country.

Election officials have long been on alert for potential violence and threats in a tense election cycle.

Last week, a suspect was arrested after arson at a mailbox in Phoenix involving reported damage to ballots, though that incident was determined not to be related to the upcoming election.

Updated at 4:30 p.m. EST.