Attempted ballot box theft

Someone unsuccessfully tried to steal a ballot drop box at the Belfair North Timberland Library parking lot late Thursday, Feb. 1 or early Friday, Feb. 2, Mason County Auditor Steve Duenkel told the Journal.

Vandals tried to dig up or pull out the box, which is fixed to a cement block.

Library staff phoned Election Administrator Marie Stevenson about the incident "reporting that someone attempted to remove the ballot drop box located in the library parking lot," according to a news release.

Library security cameras don't cover the drop box.

Duenkel said he filed a report with the Sheriff's Office and the drop box is back in its original position.

"No ballots were tampered with," Duenkel said.

Damaging, destroying or removing a ballot box is a felony in Washington under laws passed in 2017.

Mason County Judge Monty Cobb was an attorney at the Washington Association of County Officials when SB 5336, which criminalized ballot box vandalism, was being written.

Cobb told the Journal in an email the bill "had great support and the various interested groups worked well together to pass a clean bill that helped ensure voter access to secure drop boxes while maintaining the integrity of the voting process."

After the Feb. 13 special election, the drop box will be relocated to the sheriff's new North Precinct location in Belfair. Duenkel is keeping "close tabs on it" until then, he said.

"Personally, I visit it every day."

Duenkel said anyone with information about the vandalism should contact the Sheriff's Office and reference case number 24-01725.