A fire that broke out inside an official California vote by mail drop box over the weekend has prompted an arson investigation, authorities said on Monday.
The ballot box caught fire at about 8 p.m. on Sunday and was located outside the Baldwin Park Library in Los Angeles. Firefighters responded to the scene to extinguish it and saved as many ballots as possible, according to a Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder press release.
According to a CBS Los Angeles report, between 60 and 100 damaged ballots were taken into custody, police said, though the exact number remains unknown.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis said in the release the arson “has all the signs of an attempt to disenfranchise voters and call into question the security of our elections.”
“The Los Angeles County Registrar’s office immediately requested an investigation through local law enforcement and has reported the incident both to the FBI and the Attorney General for investigation and to obtain all available footage to determine the cause of the fire,” Solis said.
The last time the box was emptied before the alleged arson was on Oct. 17 at about 10 p.m. and officials are encouraging everyone that used the box after that time to contact the Registrar’s Office at 562-503-2445 or send an email to [email protected] for assistance.
The arson of an official ballot drop box by the Baldwin Park Library in the First District has all the signs of an attempt to disenfranchise voters and call into question the security of our elections.
Tampering, or attempts to tamper, with our democracy will not be tolerated. pic.twitter.com/soaol1bTZS
— Hilda Solis (@HildaSolis) October 19, 2020
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean C. Logan said the county will continue to do everything possible to ensure the integrity of the Nov. 3 election.
“Tampering with vote by mail drop boxes and ballots is a serious criminal offense and we will vigorously seek the prosecution of individuals who engage in such behavior,” he added.
George Silva, a local resident who witnessed the incident and captured it on video told the CBS affiliate he “noticed the smoke coming out of the ballot box,” adding that the fire “was pretty heavy.”
In the video, firefighters can be seen using a saw to cut open the box and remove numbers of damaged ballots. Before cutting the box open, the fire officials also had to shove a hose into the slot of the box to spray water and extinguish the flames.
“We’re going to save as many ballots as we can,” a fire official can be heard saying in the footage that was posted on Facebook.
Silva, who owns a local business in Los Angeles County, told The Guardian he “felt a sense of broken-heartedness and disappointment.”
“I can’t believe somebody would do this,” he told the network, adding that he did not vote yet for the upcoming election and after witnessing cases of ballots being stolen and damaged, he now plans to vote in person later this month.
“I’m waiting until I know my vote will be safe and secure,” he said.
It is currently unclear how the fire was sparked and officials are investigating the suspected arson.
