In a letter this week to county election auditors, Ferguson proposed that Guard members serve as what he called an “Election Neighborhood Watch.” The personnel would be out of uniform, unarmed and instructed not to interact with voters. They would report suspicious activity or emergencies to local authorities.

The offer follows a white-powder mailing to the Secretary of State’s office last week and an ongoing FBI search for the person responsible for setting ballot boxes on fire in 2024.

Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey said fires at two ballot boxes in Vancouver and one in Portland that October were a direct attack on democracy. One Vancouver fire destroyed about 500 ballots. All but 15 affected voters received replacement ballots, Kimsey said. His office is accepting the governor’s offer, he added, because officials do not want a repeat of the incident.

In King County, election-office spokesperson Halei Watkins said Guard members would provide additional observation at the county’s 101 drop boxes. She described the plan as one more measure to protect ballots.

The proposal has also raised concerns about whether a military presence, even in civilian clothing, could discourage voters. Jose Laraque, a voter interviewed in the report, said he liked the idea but worried anything that looked military or police-related might make people hesitate to vote.

Watkins said ballots returned to the King County elections facility are monitored through processing and certification, with observers, 80 security cameras and 14 live-stream cameras. She said ballots are never left in the care of just one person, and the vote-counting system is not connected to the internet. Drop boxes are emptied nightly, and voters can return ballots until 8 p.m. on election night.

Washington conducts elections by mail. The U.S. Postal Service recommends mailing ballots at least a week before Election Day; voters may also use drop boxes, which county officials say are secure.