PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV) – An incendiary device damaged a ballot box in Southeast Portland early Monday morning, according to the Portland Police Bureau.

Around 3:30 a.m., officers responded to a fire at a ballot box in the 1000 block of Southeast Morrison Street, about a block away from the Multnomah County Elections Office.

By the time police arrived at the polls, police say the fire was extinguished by security working in the area.

According to the police, the police determined that an incendiary device had been placed on the ballot box and started the fire.

PPB’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit (EDU) responded and cleared the device.

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Multnomah County says there was a fire extinguisher inside the ballot box and only three ballots were damaged. Election officials will contact those voters to receive replacement ballots.

Anyone who cast their ballot in the ballot box on SE Belmont between 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 and 3 a.m. Monday should contact Elections at 503-988-6826 if they have any questions.

The FBI is investigating this incident and the one in Vancouver this also happened on Monday morning:

“The FBI is coordinating with federal, state and local partners to actively investigate the two incidents in Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon in the early morning hours of Monday, October 28, to determine who is responsible.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the nearest FBI office, provide information through tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324).”

If anyone has information about this recent fire case, please contact Portland Police Detective Meredith Hopper at [email protected] or call the PF&R Fire Investigation Unit tip line, 503-823- FIRE (3473). Please refer to case number 24-276181.

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