Pro-Palestinian Messages Found at Burned Ballot Box Scenes

Recently, investigators found worrying notes at ballot box arson sites in Portland and Vancouver. These boxes, which store important election votes, were targeted by mysterious devices. The messages on these devices said "Free Gaza" and "Free Palestine. " However, law enforcement is still puzzled about who's behind this and what their real goals might be. On Monday morning, a device set fire to hundreds of ballots in Vancouver. Another device targeted a ballot box in Portland, but luckily, a fire suppression system saved most of the votes. This isn't the first time; a similar incident happened in Vancouver on October 8, but no ballots were harmed then. Police think all three incidents are connected. They are looking for a black or dark-colored Volvo S-60 from 2001 to 2004 with no front license plate. It's unclear if the culprit is a pro-Palestinian activist or someone trying to cause confusion before the election. The Department of Homeland Security has warned about people planning to target ballot boxes. They noted that states with more drop boxes might be at higher risk. The devices used in the arsons have been sent to Alabama for analysis. After the Vancouver fire, firefighters collected the dampened ballots and returned them to the county elections office to try and save them. Around 475 ballots were damaged, and the county has since replaced the burned box and hired watchers for all 22 drop-off locations.