US election offices step up security measures amid ongoing threats | US elections 2024

Election offices across the United States have increased security measures this year, anticipating potential violence based on experience since 2020 and amid a continued increase in threats and harassment targeting election workers.

Many offices have now trained their employees in de-escalation tactics. They held drills for active shooters or other disturbances. They have a process for reporting threats that may be criminal and requesting assistance from law enforcement if needed.

Hundreds of election offices were reinforced with bulletproof glass and steel doors. Some have increased their security details or locked down their social media in case people come prying into their lives. And new laws and increased enforcement of bans on this type of harassment have contributed to the response to increased hostility.

The authorities are concerned about the rise of the right-wing election denial movement, born in 2020 after Trump's rejection of his defeat by Joe Biden. Trump's propagation of unfounded theories regarding the election mobilized large crowds to participate in the Stop the Steal protests, which came to a head on January 6, 2021, when supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an effort to prevent congressional confirmation of election results.

Trump has not committed to accepting the outcome, claiming without evidence that Democrats would cheat to install his opponent, Kamala Harris.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, said her concern for her personal safety increased after Elon Musk, the owner of X, attacked her online. Before responding to her claims about voting in Michigan and her office, she called her security team to make sure my family was safe, she told NBC.

Unfortunately for all of us, standing up to bullies and fighting misinformation right now means putting ourselves in the metaphorical crosshairs, she said. And it's quite annoying. This has created a state of hypervigilance for all of us, but that doesn't stop us from telling the truth and ensuring citizens have the tools they need to vote in this historic election.

Adrian Fontes, Arizona's Democratic secretary of state, recently revealed that he was wearing a bulletproof vest, which was brought up during his testimony as his office sought to keep voters' names confidential in the in a lawsuit over an error in proving citizenship practices in the state. saying he feared for their safety if it was made public.

Some states have activated their National Guard in preparation for Election Day. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee reported arson at a ballot drop box in his state when he called the guards on Friday, saying their help might be needed to protect election infrastructure or respond to any unrest related to the election. The county sheriff in the area where the drop box fire occurred also increased patrols in response.

In Washington, D.C., Police Chief Pamela Smith said at a news conference Tuesday that more than 3,000 officers would work 12-hour shifts.

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo announced the precautionary activation of the state Guard for the election, while adding that he did not believe any members would need to be deployed.

In several counties, panic buttons attached to lanyards were provided for the chief poll worker to carry at each polling location.

Managing security around elections involves weighing competing factors to ensure that people can safely vote, protest, and work in election premises. A strong law enforcement presence can in itself deter voters from going to the polls. Those who threaten and harass elections partly want to sow fear around the process, so officials are mindful not to let them succeed in creating disquiet.

We shouldn't take this planning and preparation as a guarantee that violence will occur, said Shannon Hiller, executive director of the Bridging Divides Initiative at Princeton University, which studies and tracks political violence. You don't do a fire drill because you're sure a fire will happen next week, you do a fire drill in case a fire does happen. We need to understand that planning and preparation helps us feel safer, not less.

Maricopa County, Arizona has some of the most visible security measures, driven by a near-constant presence of threats. In 2020, large protests took place outside the county's central tabulation center as votes were being counted, creating an unstable environment for workers. Few people protested at the center during the 2022 midterm elections, after the county installed a permanent fence around the facility and increased the presence of law enforcement, including officers on horseback who strode around as a show of force.

This year, the county's safety measures made doomsday headlines. The permanent fence is also surrounded by a temporary wire fence and then again by concrete barriers. The county sheriff confirmed there would be drones, although it was not yet clear whether they would need to use snipers on rooftops, as reported by the Wall Street Journal .

Across the state, election workers participated in active shooter drills and learned how to barricade themselves or wield fire hoses to fend off armed crowds, the Arizona Journal wrote in October. Trauma kits containing tourniquets and bandages are available to dress chest wounds and stop serious bleeding.

Maricopa County officials held a news conference focused on security measures the week before the election, leading them to deplore the attacks on the election that made those measures necessary. County Supervisor Bill Gates said it's a sad commentary on what's happened in this country over the past four years.

County officials overseeing the vote, most of whom are Republicans, have defended the voting process and election results in the face of a pressure campaign from Trump and his allies, who are pushing the idea that his victory will be a landslide of land. Their open defense of the system sparked an avalanche of harassment and threats, which officials say took a toll on them personally.

But Gates noted: “The people who are creating this chaos in our system were hoping to drive us apart, but in fact it has instead brought us closer together here in Maricopa County. And I'm very proud of it. And I think anyone who thinks that they are going to shake the foundations of democracy in this country has not succeeded so far, and will continue to fail.

Maricopa County Sheriff Russ Skinner said his officers were ready to respond at a moment's notice and work closely with election officials, but he was careful not to intrude on election grounds. vote unless necessary for public safety.

“We don't want to disrupt the process, and we certainly don't want to influence the process, but I can tell you that you will have enough enforcement,” Skinner said. Every agency is on board during the election and the days after the election, to make sure that these places are safe, that their communities are safe.

The federal government has stepped up investigations and enforcement of threats against election officials, creating a task force specifically focused on the issue that has brought charges in cases spanning state lines. Some state and local officials have also charged those who threaten election workers.

The task force announced four more cases in late October, including a man who had threatened officials in two states and at the federal level for nearly three years. Another man pleaded guilty to sending threats to Arizona officials after the 2022 primaries, including a photo of a toy, Woody, from Toy Story lying face down on the ground with an unidentified projectile in his back.

Many states have added laws to protect election workers from threats, intimidation and harassment. 35 states and Washington, D.C. now have laws aimed at election officials and poll workers after a wave of states passed new laws since 2020, according to the National Conference of States. Legislatures.

One of those states, Maryland, saw an incident during early voting in which a poll watcher followed a poll worker, whom the worker described as intimidating and demanded an order. of peace.

I have absolute ZERO tolerance for harassment or threats against election officials. They have the highest level of integrity and must carry out their mission in a safe environment, Maryland Elections Administrator Jared DeMarinis said on X. It's shameful that an incident occurred.

Read more about the Guardians' coverage of the 2024 US elections:

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: cgurgu@internetmarketingcompany.BizWebsite: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos