Investigators say the man suspected of burning ballot drop boxes in Oregon and Washington state is an experienced metalworker and may be planning additional attacks.

Federal authorities are investigating fires at two ballot boxes reported Monday morning in the Portland, Oregon, area that destroyed hundreds of ballots at one location, as well as another fire reported earlier this month.

Ballot boxes in Oregon and Washington were set on fire with incendiary devices early Monday in what authorities believe are connected incidents, police said. The two arson incidents, which occurred near the Oregon-Washington border,

Early Monday morning, Vancouver police extinguished the fire near Fisher's Landing Transit Center, located in a Democratic stronghold in Washington's competitive 3rd Congressional District. The race for U.S. representative there is seen as key for partisan control of the House, where Republicans currently have a narrow majority.

Two ballot drop box fires in the Pacific Northwest this week have stoked concerns about election security and the risk of violence in the 2024 election days before voting concludes. Arson burned hundreds of ballots in what one official called “a direct attack on democracy” in Vancouver,

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency advises election officials to put drop boxes in high-traffic areas such as libraries

Investigators say the man suspected of setting fires in ballot drop boxes in Oregon and Washington state is an experienced metalworker and may be planning additional attacks. Portland Police Bureau