Suspect in Oregon, Washington Ballot Box Fires Likely an Experienced Metalworker: Officials

The suspect has a ‘wealth of experience in metal fabrication welding,’ officials say.

The man suspected of setting fires in Oregon and Washington state ballot drop boxes is a metalworker and might be planning more attacks, officials said Wednesday.

Portland Police Bureau spokesman Mike Benner said that the man, who has not been identified, had a “wealth of experience in metal fabrication and welding” and fabrication before he set off incendiary devices in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington.

In a news conference, Benner added that Portland investigators “believe it is very possible the suspect intends to continue these targeted attacks across the area.”

The suspect is described as white, 30 to 40 years old, and balding or with very short hair, officials said. Police previously said surveillance video showed the man driving a black or dark-colored 2001 to 2004 Volvo S-60.

The vehicle did not have a front license plate, but it did have a rear plate with unknown letters or numbers.

Benner said law enforcement investigators believe the suspect is connected to three incidents in Portland and Vancouver this month.

About 475 ballots were damaged and retrieved from a burned drop box in Vancouver, an official said Tuesday. Multnomah County Elections Director Tim Scott said that only three ballots were damaged in Portland, adding that his office is planning to contact voters to get replacement ballots.

“The good news is the fire suppression devices inside the box extinguished any fire almost immediately,” Scott said earlier this week. “There were only three ballots that were in the box out of hundreds that had any damage whatsoever, and we were able to clearly read the voters’ names on those ballots, so we will be reaching out directly to those that were impacted.”

Investigators are trying to identify the person responsible and the motive for the suspected arson attacks, which destroyed or damaged hundreds of ballots at the drop box in Vancouver on Monday when the box’s fire suppression system didn’t work as intended.

Surveillance images captured a Volvo pulling up to a drop box in Portland just before security personnel nearby discovered a fire inside the box on Monday, according to Benner. The early-morning fire was extinguished quickly thanks to the box’s suppression system and a nearby security guard, police said. Just three of the ballots inside were damaged.

Voters in Washington are encouraged to check the status of their ballots at www.votewa.gov to track their return status. If a returned ballot is not marked as “received,” voters can print a replacement ballot or visit their local elections department for a replacement, the secretary of state’s office said.

In Vancouver, the House race between Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) and Republican Joe Kent is anticipated to be close, according to the Cook Political report.

Gluesenkamp Perez, in a statement, said that she is requesting an overnight law enforcement presence at all drop boxes in Clark County, Washington, until the Nov. 5 election.

“Our right to vote needs to be protected under all circumstances. We can’t yield to intimidation, and we must continue to stand up against unpatriotic acts such as this one,” she said.

In a post on his social media account, Kent described the fires as a “cowardly act of terrorism” and said that voters should not “be deterred” from casting ballots in the election.

In recent years, ballot drop boxes have faced criticism from Republicans and have been the subject of a number of lawsuits. Around 12 states ban ballot drop boxes, including Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Indiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Missouri, West Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.