Concerns arise over 'ballot harvesting' in Clark County

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Would you trust your vote with a friend, a candidate or even a stranger? That's the question being asked in Clark County, as unofficial ballot boxes pop up and candidates offer to deliver votes themselves.

This is known as "ballot harvesting" or setting up unofficial boxes and groups to collect votes. The process is legal in Washington.

While there are legitimate reasons for the practice - like making voting more accessible for the elderly - election officials warn they have seen past instances where votes left in unofficial boxes didn't make it in.

Nonetheless, Washington Congressional candidate Joe Kent defended his call to have constituents leave ballots with him instead of in an official ballot box on Friday.

"Ballot harvesting is completely legal in Washington state," he emphasized. "So we are participating in the elections process to the fullest extent of the law and we want to make sure every single ballot makes it across the finish line."

Kent is not alone, as Firmly Planted Family Home School Resource Center in Vancouver is also inviting people to bring ballots there. But election officials are encouraging voters to use official methods.

"I really want to discourage voters from giving their ballot to anyone that they don't know, trust and have a lot of confidence that that person will return the ballot here to the elections office," said Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey.

Following a ballot box arson on Monday, Kimsey says they've increased security and replaced 488 of the 494 ballots damaged.

Kent's opponent, incumbent Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, cast her vote at the newly replaced ballot box Friday morning.

"I'm very confident in the work that the Clark County auditor has done and our law enforcement has done," she said. "And so [my husband] and I wanted to come down and cast a literal vote of confidence in our election system and vote here today at Fisher's Landing."

But later, Jennifer Whitacker, one of the newly contracted observers, witnessed more bad behavior at the ballot box.

"He started banging on the ballot box, and looking on both sides cussing, yelling, and then just walked off," she recalled. "It was very alarming."

Vancouver police confirmed the report and said officers investigated, but found no damage to the ballot box.

While disappointing, Kimsey said he's glad to see the new ballot box observers in action, alerting law enforcment at the sign of potential intimidation.

"Our ballot box observer did call law enforcement and that’s exactly what’s supposed to happen," he added.

Hours later, near the elections office, KOIN 6 News saw a woman - not with the county - posted near the ballot box and handling some votes, but she left after Kimsey spoke with her. He noted this is yet another example of legal ballot harvesting.

Despite Monday's attack and the heightened political climate Kimsey said voters should feel confident.

"When people drop their ballot in a ballot drop box, it's going to be kept safe and secure," he stressed. "I think the sentiment with what we've seen is we're not going to let these people take our vote away."