A photograph authentically exhibits U.S. presidential election ballots being saved from a poll drop field hearth in Vancouver, Washington, in late October 2024.
Although the picture is genuine, it’s unclear whether or not the ballots have been efficiently retrieved undamaged or simply eliminated in an effort to quell the fireplace. In accordance with The Related Press, a whole lot of ballots have been misplaced within the Vancouver poll field hearth.
In October 2024, a picture posted to the subreddit r/pics claimed to indicate a member of regulation enforcement saving ballots for the 2024 U.S. presidential election from a smoking poll drop field in Vancouver, Washington.
The picture was posted following stories of two related acts of arson on poll packing containers in Vancouver and close by Portland, Oregon. In accordance with The Associated Press, the Portland hearth broken simply three ballots, due to a fireplace suppression system within the poll field. Whereas the Vancouver field additionally had a fireplace suppression system, it proved ineffective, and a whole lot of ballots reportedly have been destroyed.
(Pup5581 on Reddit)
Within the Reddit thread, one person commented, “I work for a municipality with a poll drop field out entrance. There’s a requirement to have cameras on the field 24/7, and the footage is (typically) offered to the County throughout election season for file maintaining functions.”
The viral picture in query is certainly genuine, as it’s a screenshot taken from a video of the scene that may be seen on the AP’s YouTube channel.
Whereas the picture is real, it is laborious to say whether or not the ballots have been truly “saved” undamaged — notably since a whole lot have been destroyed — or just eliminated as a part of the try and extinguish the fireplace.
Whereas Washington and Oregon will not be thought-about swing states within the presidential election, the AP noted that, “Vancouver is the largest metropolis in Washington’s third Congressional District, the positioning of what’s anticipated to be one of many closest U.S. Home races within the nation, between first-term Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Republican challenger Joe Kent.”
In a written statement, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee mentioned: “This was a violent assault on democracy, and we are going to do all the things to maintain our election system robust and safe in Washington. … There will likely be 24-hour enhanced safety round poll drop-off places.”
Portland police said proof related the incidents in Oregon and Washington, and a digital camera captured a suspect car.
This was not the primary time a poll field was set ablaze throughout the 2024 election cycle, as one in Phoenix was targeted per week earlier than the Vancouver and Portland incidents, although the Phoenix suspect reportedly claimed the motion was unrelated to the election.
Snopes has written about poll packing containers previously, together with rumors throughout the 2020 election that California Republicans set up fake drop boxes, claims that “ballot drops” have unfairly swung elections and reports of voters depositing multiple ballots.
