Ballot box arsonist may strike again

On Monday, October 28th, a guard posted at the country election office in Vancouver, Washington, heard what sounded like a blast. They called the police and discovered that an election box had been set on fire. The sound was likely the fire suppression system activating. However, several hundred ballots were nevertheless burned or partially destroyed. 

Earlier the same day, in Portland, Oregon, not far from the Vancouver ballot box, another fire had been set, but was quickly extinguished by the fire suppressant and a nearby security guard. Officials link these two arsons with another in Vancouver, three weeks ago. 

What do we know about these arsons? Will they affect the upcoming election? 

What do we know about the ballot box arsons? 

Law enforcement officials, under the condition of anonymity because the investigation is still ongoing, revealed to reporters that the “incendiary devices were marked with the message ‘Free Gaza.’” As of this writing, authorities aren’t sure if the messaging reflects pro-Palestinian views, or it’s a cover-up to try to create confusion.

Law enforcement have posted a description of the suspect, but haven’t yet identified or apprehended him. Officials believe the criminal is an experienced metalworker. In addition, a police spokesperson said, “it is very possible the suspect intends to continue the attacks.” Does this mean the election is in jeopardy?

Will the ballot box fires affect the election? 

According to officials, “Elections staff were able to identify 488 damaged ballots retrieved from the box, and as of Tuesday evening, 345 of those voters had contacted the county auditor’s office to request a replacement ballot… The office will mail 143 ballots to the rest of the identified voters on Thursday.” And, only “Six of the ballots were unidentifiable.” In the October 8th arson, no ballots were damaged. 

If the remaining 143 voters re-cast their vote, probably only a handful of votes will be affected. We have no certain information about the intention, ideology, or political leanings of the suspect. We do know with high confidence, however, that the attacks won’t impact the outcome of any election. This brings me to a broader point about the importance of ideas.  

The power of ideas

Some ideas are more powerful and persuasive than others. Some can be summed up in a catchy slogan, while others are complex and need explanation. Regardless, most ideas gain their power from people believing them. Horoscopes, for example, have no factual basis or real life consequences on their own, but they can sometimes change people’s lives because they believe in them and, therefore, make decisions based on them. 

Social media makes spreading ideas easy—posts can garner ideas hundreds of thousands or millions of views in a day. Social media doesn’t select for truth or levelheadedness, however. And, as the US DOJ has said, Russia, China, and Iran try to meddle in elections through social media, stirring up division to undermine our country.

These arsons won’t actually effect the election, but if the idea that “our elections are unstable” spreads due to these incidents, the arsonist(s) will get what they likely want—chaos and instability. Even if the elections factually aren’t at risk, the idea that they are is still powerful. 

In 2022, Denison Forum did a deep dive into election integrity. We found that the actual 2020 election process was probably the most secure it’s been in US history. However, the influence of bad foreign actors and wrong-headed movements on social media nevertheless caused chaos. The idea that the election process was rigged was powerful because people believe it. 

The truth that transcends belief

We must constantly strive for truth. Thankfully, not all ideas’ power is in whether people believe them. That God is just, eternal, and sovereign is true whether we believe it or not. Let that serve as a reminder that, regardless of whether each of us is being led astray on social media, God never falls astray and never lies. 

As believers, we’re called to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1) and to “be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God” (Romans 12:2). We are also told to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). 

How are you testing the many ideas and renewing your mind to counteract the effects of social media? Start today by seeking God’s peace and wisdom through prayer.