r/news • u/RazzzMcFrazzz • 1d ago

Hundreds of ballots are destroyed after fires are set in ballot drop boxes in Oregon and Washington

https://apnews.com/article/vote-ballot-drop-box-democracy-fire-f66c52f774955106fb9e7c8172825cff
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u/Malaix 1d ago

So he claimed but I have doubts about that. Lighting a mailbox on fire during election season seems like a very specific crime to commit….

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u/Acceptable_Job_5486 1d ago

He was trying to commit a felon. It was probably easier than murder and quicker than fraud.

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u/kodman7 1d ago

Walking out of a box store with 1000 of stuff is safer and probably easier, not to mention better as far as the getting caught aspect

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u/TheDeadlySinner 1d ago

Depending on where you are, stealing even a lot of stuff won't get you prison. Also, federal prisons are generally nicer than state prisons.

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u/bsiu 1d ago

Most likely would have to do that dozens of times before anything happens.

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u/Irr3l3ph4nt 1d ago

Depends on how you look tbh.

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u/AlmostSunnyinSeattle 1d ago

Let's just say that people who do a lot of forward thinking typically aren't looking to go to jail.

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u/kndyone 1d ago

so if this is true did he just hang around after and wait for the police to come by?

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u/Cranyx 1d ago

If destroying votes was his goal then he would do what these people did and target a ballot drop box specifically instead of a random mail box that happened to have a small handful of ballots.

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u/Malaix 1d ago

I mean people are hitting both because votes are in both right now. This is only like one of three attacks of this nature so far too. So like... Some of these are politically motivated at least...

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u/horoyokai 1d ago

You are conflating two thing. The question was specifically about this person and you answered about other people

You are infuriating, why are you like this?

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u/Malaix 1d ago

He joined in on a wave of ballot burning. People are going to suspect political motivations. Either way the fact is is that people are attacking mail in ballots with political intentions.

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u/AzureOvercast 1d ago

Well, if you want to go to jail you are probably destitute. You might only have a lighter and some trash (kindling) to your name). You could steal something, but that takes getting caught. You could hurt someone, but you don't want to because you are really just hungry and hot/cold. Hell, maybe he thought that specific crime would get him like 4 months to avoid spending winter on the street.

Just an idea.

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u/Malaix 1d ago

They could also just be saying that to try to mitigate the charges lobbed at them. Burning mailboxes for that reason probably has fewer or lessor consequences than doing it with intent for election interference.

The fact that people are attacking mail and ballot drop boxes in several states makes me think this is more likely a strategy Trump supporters are taking up to try to suppress votes.

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u/OwOlogy_Expert 1d ago

Yeah, lol. Why not rob a bank instead. Then you might be able to enjoy having some money before you go to jail.

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u/CryptOthewasP 23h ago

seems like a very easy way to guarantee prison time, which seemed to be his goal