"Free Gaza" was found on incendiary devices used to set fire to ballot drop boxes in Washington and Oregon, leading officials to believe the attacks may have a political motive, according to reports.
Early Monday morning, a ballot box in Vancouver, Washington, was set ablaze, potentially damaging hundreds of ballots. A similar arson incident was reported the same night at a ballot box in Portland, Oregon.
Investigators have linked the incidents to an incident on Oct. 8 when Vancouver officials removed an incendiary device marked with "Free Gaza" and "Free Palestine" from a ballot drop box. That incident caused no damage.
Authorities, including the FBI, are working to determine if the markings were designed to send a message or divert attention from another motive.
Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey said the last ballots collection from the Vancouver drop box was Saturday, and voters who deposited ballots there since then are advised to contact the elections office for replacements. Authorities have assured the public that while the devices caused damage, they were not bombs.
The FBI is encouraging anyone with information on the incidents to make contact. The Portland and Vancouver police departments are taking part in the investigation, with the FBI leading the efforts.
Kate McManus ✉
Kate McManus is a New Jersey-based Newsmax writer who's spent more than two decades as a journalist.
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