Fires set in drop boxes destroy hundreds of ballots in Washington and damage 3 in Oregon
apnews.com
Incendiary devices have been set off at two ballot drop boxes — one in Portland, Oregon, and another in nearby Vancouver, Washington — in what one official called a “direct attack on democracy."

The ballot drop boxes in Washington and Oregon both have fire suppression systems that are designed to activate when the temperature inside reaches a certain point, coating ballots inside with a fire-suppressing powder.

For unknown reasons, the system failed to prevent the destruction of hundreds of ballots in Vancouver, just across the Columbia River from Portland.

  • Skydancer
    272·
    24 days ago

    Police station would be a terrible choice. People who aren’t able to vote on election day skew poor, black, brown, and/or immigrant - exactly the groups who would be (rightly) afraid of entering a police station.

      • JonsJava@lemmy.worldMEnglish
        81·
        23 days ago

        Hey, mod here. What they are saying is correct. Police intimidation/fear is justified for a large percent of the population, even those that are law-abiding. That’s why the phrase “walking while black” exists.

        I urge you to not make these kind of comments, as they detract from the overall conversation. I also urge you to edit or remove this comment, as it violates rule 1.

        • Waraugh@lemmy.dbzer0.com
          12·
          23 days ago

          This response is so wild to me. Nobody even needs to talk to a cop. Having an additional drop off location at a police station is more convenient than not having it. Walk into building, put envelope in box, walk out. Makes sense for any government funded building that’s already required to be staffed 24/7 and monitored by CCTV, the police department included.

      • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
        5·
        23 days ago

        Are you just…completely unaware of the racist nature of police in America? What a nice privilege.