NCEI Co-chairs: Recent arson incidents an egregious attack on every American’s right to cast their vote securely

In response to arsonists setting fire to ballot drop boxes in Oregon and Washington and USPS mailboxes in Arizona, where it appears that hundreds of ballots have been damaged or destroyed, the co-chairs of Issue One’s bipartisan National Council on Election Integrity — Reps. Barbara Comstock (R-VA), Amb. Tim Roemer (D-IN), Donna Edwards (D-MD), and Zach Wamp (R-TN) — issued the following statement:

“We celebrate our freedom to vote, the importance of every vote being counted, and every voice being heard. The recent arson incidents in Arizona, Washington, and Oregon targeting absentee ballot drop boxes and USPS mailboxes are egregious attacks on the fundamental right of every American to cast their vote securely and without fear of interference.

“Attempts to undermine the voice of voters and our election systems must be met with a unified commitment to justice. The FBI is working with federal, state, and local partners to investigate these efforts to silence voters by setting fire to local ballot drop boxes. Federal law, including 18 U.S.C. § 1705, makes it a felony to tamper with or destroy postal property. Additionally, federal law including 52 U.S.C. § 20511, prohibits the obstruction of voters and tampering with ballots.

“Voters should be sure to track their mail ballots if their state has a ballot tracking system and understand their state’s laws for casting a provisional ballot if their ballot is not received. No one is going to scare Americans away from voting. Every eligible American should have the freedom to vote and have their voices heard.”