Election day invites both excitement and concern for many American citizens. It is the number one most important day for our participatory democracy, and sometimes there is one outcome that people want so badly, that they go too far in trying to secure that outcome. 

This year’s election is a very contentious one, with more polarization than ever before amongst the candidates and the American people. This leads to some people acting out in wrongful and even illegal ways. About one week before this election day, many news stations came out with stories about ballot drop boxes being set on fire in Washington and Oregon, damaging about 475 ballots in Vancouver, and only three in Portland, according to CBS news reports. 

County Auditor Greg Kimsey noted that these ballots are still legible enough to contact the voters or admit the ballots, but there is still a possibility that some ballots will not be admitted or are burnt beyond recognition. 

Burning ballot boxes is an act of intimidation against civilians, making it possible to be considered a terrorist attack. Both boxes had fire suppression devices, but the device in the Vancouver box was clearly less effective than that of Portland. This security measure is one that, if not considered previously, would have been devastating for about one thousand people whose ballots would have been dismissed without knowledge. 

There are plenty of election day disturbances happening in real time today as well. Today around 1:35pm, one man was arrested for trying to break into the Capitol Building in Washington D.C., holding a torch and a flare gun. He was stopped during the screening process while trying to enter the building because he allegedly smelled like gas. There have also been many issues of bomb and security threats across the nation, with the chief manager of the U.S. Capitol Police noting that there will need to be increased surveillance today, on Jan. 6 and throughout the new year. 

Other issues presented this election day include logistical issues. In Pennsylvania, a state judge mandated that a Clark County voting location stay open two hours later than usual due to a voter software malfunction. In Missouri, flooding cut out power and made it more difficult for voters to make it to their polling location.