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The FBI issued a warning on Election Day about bomb threats targeting polling stations in several U.S. states. Although the agency confirmed that the threats were not credible, it noted that many of the threats seemed to have originated from Russian sources, raising concerns about potential foreign interference in the election process.
The FBI’s warning coincided with reports from Georgia, where bomb threats briefly interrupted voting on Tuesday. Local authorities confirmed that while the threats were handled swiftly, they caused temporary disruptions, adding to concerns over security during the election.
In response to the particularly volatile 2024 US presidential campaign, Election Day security was escalated to unprecedented levels. With mounting fears of civil unrest, election irregularities, and attacks on poll workers, law enforcement agencies ensured that extensive measures were in place to prevent any disruptions.
“The FBI is aware of bomb threats to polling locations in several states, many of which appear to originate from Russian email domains,” spokeswoman Savannah Syms said in a statement.
“None of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far,” she added, urging the public to “remain vigilant.”
Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s Secretary of State, revealed that the bomb threats which temporarily disrupted voting in the state were linked to Russian sources. The disclosure raised alarms over the potential for external actors to disrupt the electoral process.
He did not elaborate. An election official in Georgia’s Fulton County said polling places were briefly closed as the threats were investigated.
With Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump deadlocked at the climax of the 2024 race, authorities are keen to reassure jittery Americans that their votes are secure. But they are also bolstering physical security for election operations nationwide.
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Runbeck Election Services, which provides security technology for poll operations, confirmed to AFP Monday it had ordered some 1,000 panic buttons for clients that include election facilities and their workers.
The FBI has set up a national election command post in Washington to monitor threats 24 hours a day through election week, and security has been bolstered at many of the nearly 100,000 US polling stations.
The states of Oregon, Washington and Nevada have activated the National Guard — and the Pentagon says at least 17 states have placed a total of 600 National Guard troops on standby if needed.
