Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) activated the National Guard to be on stand-by in the event it is asked to support local law enforcement and the Washington State Patrol during election week, a press release issued Friday said.
The National Guard will be activated from Nov. 4 to 7 until just after midnight, according to the release. The adjutant general will determine how many members of the Guard will be called.
“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 release read.
In a letter activating the National Guard, Inslee cited recent instances of election-related unrest leading up to election day.
Last week, two ballot boxes were burned in Oregon after an incendiary device was placed inside a ballot box. In Washington state, nearly 500 ballots were recovered after an incendiary device was placed inside a ballot box, causing them to burn, The Associated Press reported.