The burning of ballot boxes in Oregon and the state of Washington on Monday is raising concerns about election integrity and political violence, just one week away from Election Day on Nov. 5.
The FBI is now investigating the incidents of arson, which has reportedly destroyed hundreds of ballots.
One of the ballot boxes was set on fire in Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, which Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez currently represents. Perez is defending her seat against Republican challenger Joe Kent in one of the tightest House races in the country. Police authorities say a “suspect vehicle” has been identified and confirmed that the two incidents are connected.
Black Voters Matter PAC co-founder LaTosha Brown called out the incidents as an “extension of voter suppression.”
She told theGrio, “There are always three kinds of strategies for voter suppression tactics: The main tactic is weaponizing the administrative process, creating legal barriers and creating a culture of fear and chaos.”
Brown continued, “This falls within that third … there’s an active and personal effort to create chaos and confusion.”
She added, “I also think it’s an effort to try to marginalize the impact of the voters.”
U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., who served as chairman of the Jan. 6 Select House Committee, told theGrio that he is “concerned” about the ballot box burnings so close to the Election Day as millions of Americans cast their votes early.
“I haven’t seen all the circumstances on it yet, but I do know that election security is a real concern with this election,” said Congressman Thompson. “I’d say that election security, in general, should be a high priority for any administration, whether it’s a potential occurrence of burning ballots, whether it’s a threat of violence or anything of that nature.”
Former Capitol police officer Harry Dunn, who resigned from the force for an unsuccessful run for Congress in Maryland, told theGrio that it’s important to tie acts of political violence like the recent ballot box burnings to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who has encouraged violence and continues to spread lies about the 2020 election results.
“He’s the one who fanned the flames. He’s amplifying it. He’s feeding it through his supporters. And that’s what a Donald Trump presidency looks like,” said Dunn, a surrogate for the Harris-Walz campaign.
The former officer said that Trump has normalized the idea that, “If you don’t agree with me, or you believe you’re cheated, then fight back for it.” He clarified, “They don’t mean to fight back at the polls. They mean literally, fight back physically.”
Brown of Black Voters Matter told theGrio that she is “absolutely” concerned about more political violence this election cycle.
Referencing Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Sunday, Brown continued, “Given the thousands of people at a rally yesterday listening to just diabolical comments about Puerto Ricans. Tucker Carlson calling Kamala [Harris] Samoan and [another speaker] talking about carving watermelon.”
She said of the Trump rally, “They went for broke.”
“To me, that wreaks of a people that are desperate and willing to do anything to maintain power,” Brown maintained.
She added, “To be clear, I’m from the South. These are also the same folk who were willing to kill each other to keep a system of slavery in place.”