WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Threats to U.S. elections are popping up around the country with less than a month until Election Day.
This week, the FBI arrested a man in Oklahoma who officials say was plotting an Election Day attack in the name of ISIS. In Washington state, police responded to a suspicious device near a ballot drop box that was smoking. The destruction left behind from the hurricanes is also complicating the voting process in those states.
“In good news, election officials have been planning for a safe and secure election come what may,” said Liz Howard, the Director of Partner Engagement for the Brennan Center’s Elections and Government Program.
Before joining the Brennan Center, Howard worked as a top election official in Virginia. She said officials across the country have boosted the physical security of their offices and polling places while also protecting voting systems from cyber attacks.
“They are committed to doing their job despite the threat environment,” Howard said.
Howard said election officials are now also collaborating more closely with law enforcement and other local government officials to keep their staff, voters and the process safe.
“It’s a very complex threat environment,” said Ben Hovland, the chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. “There have been challenges, but that’s why election officials do the work.”
Hovland said voters should also lean on their local officials to combat misinformation.
“When you see something that feels outrageous, maybe something that’s making you mad, that’s very likely actors who don’t have our democracy at the front of mind,” he said.
Hovland said election workers are the exact opposite of that, stressing to voters, “I have no doubt in my mind that this will be a free and fair election.”
Hovland estimates nearly one million Americans will serve as volunteer poll workers this election cycle.
