Election threats are on the rise. Are we ready?

“Fuck the Voting. Get Right to the Violence”. Those were the words of Roger Stone in video footage captured by the Danish documentarian, Christoffer Guldbrandsen in November of 2020. He continued by saying “We’ll have to start smashing pumpkins, if you know what I mean.” Those words underscored what was attempted just weeks later, when an armed mob stormed the United States Capitol on January 6th, 2021, incited by then-President Donald Trump, in an attempt to prevent the certification of the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election results. It was my 22nd birthday, and I watched in horror. Those events are still raw in the minds of many Americans. But as we stand just days away from the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, we have to ask a very important question: are we ready?

Those are the questions many are asking as enter the final stretch of the election. These questions include whether or not we are prepared for potential violence before the election, specifically directed at polling locations. Those are concerns that the FBI and U.S. Department of Homeland Security are heeding, and they are warning local law enforcement to be aware. They warn that right-wing extremists may “continue to create, exploit, and promote narratives about the election process or legal decisions involving political figures, and we are concerned that these grievances could motivate some DVEs (Domestic Violent Extremists) to engage in violence, as we saw during the 2020 election cycle”. They have also warned law enforcement that extremists may try to bomb ballot drop boxes. These are not just concerns. It's already happening. Just this week a postal return box was set aflame damaging 25 ballots in Maricopa County, a major county in the major battleground state of Arizona.

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Others are wondering whether Former President Donald Trump will concede the presidential election if he loses on November 5th, 2024. He has refused to say whether he will or won't concede. Every piece of evidence that exists indicates that he won't. He has refused to confirm his participation in the GSA's transition process, and has previously said that if he loses the election there will be a "bloodbath". While federal officials are preparing for the potential for another armed insurrection, it is important that they also prepare for violence before the November election. Increasingly violent rhetoric from the far right, including false claims of election fraud, and calls to harass poll workers threaten the safety of voters and polling locations. Are we prepared to keep voters in swing states safe from threats of violence as they enter polling locations? Are election facilities and ballot storage centers safe from terrorist attacks? Are election personnel safe from being targeted by extremists? Those questions are important questions, and law enforcement agencies are seeking to answer them. NBC's Jane Timm has reported that election officials are beefing up security at polling locations amid these concerns. This security includes additional officers, vests, drones for surveillance, and even fencing in some areas.

Extremists may “continue to create, exploit, and promote narratives about the election process or legal decisions involving political figures, and we are concerned that these grievances could motivate some DVEs (Domestic Violent Extremists) to engage in violence, as we saw during the 2020 election cycle”. -FBI and DHS

Citizens are urged to vote early to avoid any last minute delays or security issues at their local precinct. Early voting is already underway in most of the country, and it isn't too late to receive an absentee ballot to vote by mail. You should vote, and you should also prepare for the potential that there may be violence. I don't want to be alarmist, but the same people who incited the violent mobs of people that attacked our Democracy and nearly succeeded in a coup attempt are back at it again. That's hardly a surprise. They were never held accountable. It's best to prepare now. Check in on your family members. Stock up on food items and essentials in the event that unrest may occur in your community. Keep a firearm at home if you're comfortable doing so. But most importantly: if you see something, say something. DHS urges the public to report suspicious activity and threats. Use that link to report a tip, or report one directly to the FBI through this tip line.

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