What to know after ballot box fires in Washington and Oregon

Washington — Ballot driblet boxes were group connected occurrence successful 2 states, Washington and Oregon, conscionable a week up of Election Day, arsenic authorities were already connected precocious alert for nan anticipation of convulsive incidents driven by claims of predetermination fraud — including nan sabotage of ballot driblet boxes.  

Two ballot boxes went up successful flames early Monday greeting successful Portland and Vancouver, which is conscionable astir 10 miles from Portland, conscionable complete nan border. While astir of nan ballots successful nan Portland container were recovered, hundreds were thought to beryllium mislaid successful nan Vancouver incident. 

Here's what we cognize truthful far:

How galore ballots were damaged? 

Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey told CBS News that hundreds of ballots were impacted successful nan Vancouver incident, but officials don't expect to cognize nan nonstop number until nan extremity of nan time connected Tuesday. After nan bedewed ballots barren out, officials will beryllium amended equipped to measure nan damage. 

In Portland, 3 ballots retired of hundreds were damaged, Multnomah County Elections Director Tim Scott told reporters, aft suppression devices wrong nan ballot container almost instantly extinguished nan flames ignited by an incendiary device. Washington predetermination officials noted that occurrence suppression devices successful nan Vancouver container didn't look to activity arsenic well.

What's adjacent for voters whose ballots whitethorn person been lost?

The authorities and nan counties support way of each ballot sent and received, truthful they tin show whether someone's sewage mislaid aliases destroyed, says CBS News predetermination rule contributor David Becker. Voters who returned ballots to nan dropbox located astatine nan Fisher's Landing C-Tran Transit Center successful Vancouver betwixt Saturday astatine 11 a.m. and Monday astatine 3 a.m. PT person been advised by Kimsey to cheque their ballot's position online astatine votewa.gov, wherever they tin spot whether their ballot has been received. 

"I'm very saddened by this incident," Kimsey said successful a statement, calling it "an onslaught connected American democracy."

In Portland, authorities were capable to intelligibly publication nan names of nan voters and were reaching retired straight to nan voters, Scott said. The undamaged ballots were group to beryllium processed connected Monday, and voters who formed their ballots betwixt Saturday astatine 3:30 p.m. and Monday astatine 3 a.m. PT could telephone to check connected nan status of their ballot. 

"We person aggregate systems and information measures successful spot to guarantee your ballot is safe," Scott said successful a statement. "Your Elections squad is moving difficult to make judge that each vote counts."

The investigation

Authorities person identified nan suspect's vehicle, and nan FBI is starring nan investigation into nan vehicle.

The FBI said successful a connection Monday that nan agency is coordinating pinch federal, authorities and section partners to "actively analyse nan 2 incidents" and "determine who is responsible."

Local authorities said incidents specified arsenic these are targeted and intentional, while noting that nan investigation is ongoing. 

According to a national bulletin published by nan Department of Homeland Security connected Monday, immoderate online users connected platforms frequented by home convulsive extremists person "encouraged unit against ideological opponents related to nan usage of mail-in voting," on pinch promoting "methods of sabotaging ballot driblet boxes."

In Clark County, wherever nan Washington incident occurred, officials will delegate ballot container observers to watch each of nan county's ballot driblet boxes 24 hours a day, successful summation to expanding patrols astir nan boxes done Election Day. Election officials will besides statesman picking up nan ballots astatine driblet boxes much frequently. In Portland, predetermination officials besides scheme to instrumentality accrued information measures and further patrols. 

Elli Fitzgerald contributed reporting.