Just a week away from the 2024 electrons a new mess unraveled for America. Following the beginning of the voting process, ballot boxes have been set on fire across the country, igniting outrage. Portland Police responded to an incident around 3:30 a.m. on Monday where a device was found attached to a ballot drop box. Security personnel managed to extinguish the fire but authorities in both Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, have launched investigations after two ballot boxes were set on fire early Monday morning. The FBI is working with federal, state, and local partners to investigate these incidents, which occurred on October 28th, to identify those responsible.
“They need to have a system where you can check if your ballot was counted and track who you vote for in an online system… it feels weird to just have random boxes around town” said Rangeview junior Lisa Ciang.
There’s a growing concern about the security of votes and the potential for tampering. It would be ideal to have a system where voters could cast their ballots in a specific location, show their ID for extra security, and track their ballots online to ensure they were counted correctly. Currently, it feels out of place to have random ballot boxes around town; many people think ballots should be dropped off at more secure locations like post offices or libraries.
Young activists are protesting, driven by frustration with a political system they feel doesn’t meet their needs. Devices found at the scenes on Monday and at a ballot box targeted earlier in the month were marked with the words “Free Gaza,” according to The New York Times, citing two law enforcement officials. Investigators are trying to determine whether the suspect is a pro-Palestinian activist or someone else.While voters desire a system that represents them, these actions don’t justify the crimes committed. There are many ways to express their thoughts, but unfortunately, some have turned to destructive actions instead.
Knowles Balusi, a current rangeview student stated “…if only there was a way to protect your vote and ensure that there isn’t destruction or tampering…”
In Vancouver, Washington, approximately 475 damaged ballots were retrieved from a burned ballot box, according to Kimsey, who informed CNN. Workers will sift through the damaged ballots to contact voters and issue replacements. Despite the damage, voter information can still be extracted from the ballots.
Rangeview students argue that while the convenience of simple drop-off ballots is appreciated, incidents like this could be prevented with enhanced security measures. Despite the growing concerns and increased caution, the election is proceeding as scheduled without any delays!
