OLYMPIA, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Gov. Jay Inslee has activated the Washington National Guard to be on standby for election week.

Inslee wrote in his letter to Adjutant General Gent Welsh that he made the decision based on “concerns regarding the potential for violence” or other illegal activity related to the election. He’s directing the Guard to support local law enforcement and Washington State Patrol as needed in order to ensure free and fair elections, and to respond to any election-related turmoil.

Inslee’s office says it’s a purely precautionary measure that was taken in response to Homeland Security’s nationwide warnings over threats to election infrastructure.

It comes after hundreds of ballots were burned in a suspected arson at a ballot drop box in Vancouver, Washington last week and a similar attack occurred at a ballot box in Portland, Oregon.

The suspect, identified as a white man between 30 and 40 years old with balding or very short hair, marked the fires with the message “Free Gaza” and investigators believe he may be planning more attacks.

The National Guard will be on standby for four days, starting on Monday, Nov. 4, and ending just after midnight on Thursday, Nov. 7.