As millions of Americans prepare to vote in the midterm elections that will determine which party will control both houses of Congress for the next two years, federal, state, and local authorities have mobilized to ensure that democratic exercise is safe for all participants.
The efforts come as some poll workers report attempts to intimidate them, including death threats, and as the United States continues to grapple with the aftermath of the insurrection of January 6 of 2021 against congressional certification of the 2020 presidential election.
Electoral security is also on the minds of voters.
“I am concerned that people are trying to harm voters or work on elections,” he told the magazine. voice of america Lisa Watkins of Fairfax County, Virginia. Watkins, who recently registered to vote, said American democracy is threatened if violence breaks out on or after Election Day.
“I hope we don’t see any problems at the polling places,” he added.
The midterm elections on Nov. 8 marks the first nationwide election since the 2020 presidential contest in which then-President Donald Trump contested the victory of Joe Biden, both in the courtroom and by other means.
One of the most tumultuous periods in modern United States political history culminated in deadly riots on Capitol Hill. To this day, some Americans believe that Biden is an illegitimate president, a festering falsehood that could spell trouble in midterm races.
federal task force
Last year, the US Department of Justice created a special task force to combat growing threats against poll workers and voters.
Speaking in Washington last month, Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Clarke said the Justice Department remains “steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that all eligible voters can cast a ballot; that all lawful votes be counted; and that all voters be able to cast their ballots without discrimination or harassment.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reports that US states that experienced significant upheaval over the 2020 presidential outcome have been more likely to generate election-related threats.
58% “of the total potentially criminal threats occurred in states that underwent post-2020 election lawsuits, recounts, and audits, including Arizona, Georgia, Colorado, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Wisconsin,” the FBI reported in August.
“I see data that shows that three out of five election officials right now are saying, I don’t feel comfortable or safe,” said Neal Kelly, who heads the Committee for Safe and Secure Elections, a non-government group made up of 32 current and former election officials and law enforcement officials.
The organization is working with state and local communities to develop ways to prevent violence, threatened or actual, against voters, election officials and poll workers. For now, Kelly, a former Orange County, California, voter registrar, expresses cautious optimism.
“I think the election is going to be fine,” he told the VOA. “But how do you maintain mental stability for both voters and election officials?”
Kelly does not advocate sending armed guards to polling places, but adds that law enforcement must be ready to respond promptly to any problems that may arise. Additionally, she says the federal government can do more in individual states to support security training for poll workers and rebuild trust in America’s democratic exercises.
“Our goal is to bring election officials and law enforcement together and talk and create proactive plans to reduce risk,” he said. “I think the long-term strategy will be how we change the optics, because the mechanics of running a safe election are just as important as the optics of running a safe election.”
Kelly added, “We have to start educating voters about how secure the system is.”
Fewer poll workers
Numerous state and local election officials have reported difficulties in attracting poll workers for the midterm elections. A survey by the New York-based Brennan Center for Justice found that one in six election officials reported being threatened because of their work, and 77% said they felt such threats had increased in recent years.
“Since 2020, what poll workers have been facing are relentless threats like breaking into their homes, damaging their cars and threatening their children,” said Lawrence Norden, senior director of the Brennan Center’s elections and government program.
The study found that nearly one in three poll workers knows at least one colleague who resigned over personal safety concerns. “One of the things that worries me the most is poll workers leaving the field,” Norden said in an interview with .
The study also found that one in five poll workers plan to leave their post before the 2024 presidential election.
“You’re seeing a lot of election officials already leaving,” Kelly said. “Election officials in general are doing things to make sure workers are safe. This process is very important for democracy, and we must stand up to make sure things are done to ensure security is in place.”
In some states, the federal government has launched programs to help train state poll workers. Efforts are also focusing on minority communities.
“We’re trying to hire younger poll workers,” said Omar Sabir, vice president of the Philadelphia City Commissioners who oversees elections in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, where African-Americans make up more than 40% of the population, according to the US Census Bureau.
Their recruiting efforts have been bolstered by offering salary increases and promises of support.
“Poll workers and elections are the cornerstone of our democracy,” Sabir told the VOA.
“I encourage people to become poll workers and not get discouraged by what’s going on here.”
Steps to safeguard elections
New laws have been passed in four states to protect poll workers from harassment. In Colorado, the Election Officials Protection Act stiffens criminal penalties for intimidating election officials. It also makes it a crime to threaten poll workers or post their personal information online. In California, poll workers will have the option to remove their addresses and other personal information from government records.
“As the midterm elections approach, the safety and peace of mind of poll workers must be a top priority,” said California State Sen. Josh Newman, who drafted the legislation that was signed into law last month. .
In addition to protecting poll workers, several states have taken steps to limit physical access to voting machines by unauthorized persons and have implemented enhanced cybersecurity measures at local election offices.
In recent months, US cybersecurity experts have warned of a potential rise in insider threats from state and local officials who have accepted former President Trump’s false claims that they stole his election.
“We spend a lot of time reminding local election officials about their internal controls and being aware of insider threats,” said Kim Wyman, senior advisor for election security at the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
“Go back to those protocols [de seguridad] essentials and make sure you have them in place,” said Wyman, who was responding to a question from the VOA on the sidelines of a cybersecurity conference last month in Washington.
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