Washington state readies National Guard for election riots

Democratic Washington Gov. Jay Inslee activated the National Guard to be on standby in case of election violence.

The National Guard will be on standby from Monday to Thursday, according to a release from the governor’s office. Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh, head of Washington’s Guard, will decide how many troops to mobilize. 

“This is a purely precautionary measure taken in response to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s nationwide warnings regarding threats to election infrastructure and other recent activities that have occurred in southwestern Washington,” the governor’s office said. 

Southwest Washington has already experienced “specific instances of election-related unrest,” Mr. Inslee wrote. 

Indeed, an incendiary device was set off in a ballot drop box this week that led to the destruction of hundreds of ballots in Vancouver, Washington. Similar incidents happened in nearby Oregon. 

Local police haven’t made an arrest in connection to the ballot box fire but believe the suspect is a male in his 30s or 40s, is balding or has short hair and has a grasp of metalworking and welding, Fox 13 Seattle reported. 

Mr. Inslee said of the Guard, “Our state depends on these skilled individuals for critical support to protect the public health, safety and welfare, to include support necessary to protect vital infrastructure related to carrying out free and fair elections and to respond to any unrest related to the 2024 general election.”