Threats, safety concerns lead to enhanced election security

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With Election Day fast approaching, one priority has had elections officials nationwide preparing for months: security.

Hearst Television's National Investigative Unit found the concern has sparked many places nationwide to rethink how they plan to protect their workers, voters and the ballots this election cycle.

Ruie LaVoie wanted to make some extra money one summer back in 2010, so she wound up working elections. Little did she know she had found her passion. She now serves as the Director of Elections for Baltimore County, Maryland.

"I think that voting is everybody's fundamental right," LaVoie said.

But that fundamental right is sometimes threatened. LaVoie experienced it firsthand.

"A voter voted, and on the way out of the polling place, they made a threat that they were going to come back in and cause harm to those that were there voting and working at the polling place," LaVoie said.

While actions didn't materialize from the threat, that comment sparked the police to respond within minutes and election officials to take action. LaVoie said they shared the police description of the individual with the other 242 polling places in the state, reminded workers of protective drills, established shelter in place orders within that polling location.

"The police stayed for the remainder of the night until polls closed at 8 p.m.," Lavoie said. "They also made sure all of the poll workers were safely inside their car, headed home before they left."

What LaVoie experienced is not just happening in Baltimore County. Threats are happening to election officials all over the country by phone, by mail and even in person.

In Wisconsin, a man walked into a polling location with a knife and demanded the staff "stop the voting." In Kentucky, the state capitol was evacuated when a bomb threat was emailed to the Deputy Secretary of State.

A 2024 report by the Brennan Center for Justice found that more than one in three election officials experienced threats, harassment or abuse.

There has always been a concern about threats when dealing with elections, but according to Jen Easterly, the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), threats have escalated in recent years.

"It's largely stemming from unfounded claims that the results of the 2020 election did not represent the will of the people," Easterly said.

Easterly's assessment aligns with how election workers feel. The same Brennan Center for Justice report found that seven in 10 election workers feel that threats have risen since 2020.

Because CISA is tasked with supporting election infrastructure, Easterly said the agency has been offering help across the country.

"We've been doing de-escalation training in case there's some tension that happens around election polling places. We've been doing active shooter training," Easterly said.

But local jurisdictions like Baltimore County, where LaVoie works, are also taking their own precautions.

As the Director, LaVoie has been instrumental in shaping new standards for election security. In November 2023, Baltimore County opened a brand-new 45,000-square-foot election facility. LaVoie helped design the building with the security of voters, workers and ballots in mind.

Hearst Television's National Investigative Unit got to tour the facility.

During the tour, it was clear the facility had taken innovative security measures: bulletproof panels, restricted access areas and live feed cameras that ensure transparency and safety. These features not only protect the physical ballots but also ensure that the voting process remains uninterrupted, even under threat.

Security efforts are also extending beyond the design of a building. The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office is planning to protect the election process with a physical presence. This year, they will be facilitating the public in observing the polling place to increase transparency, reassuring the integrity of the vote, while at the same time keeping voters and workers safe.

"The people that do this job do it because they want to protect democracy. They want to make sure our elections are free, safe, secure, transparent. Every vote counts. You have to love this job. You do it more because of what it means, what elections mean, what voting means to this country," Lavoie said.

Security precautions serve a dual purpose: ensuring safety and promoting transparency.

In Baltimore County and beyond, election processes are made visible to the public, with rooms created for in-person observation and live streaming available online, allowing citizens to witness democracy in action from their homes.

Many elections officials have said if you want to know how your vote is counted or how the election process works in your area, keep an eye out on your county, city, or town clerk's website and social media for opportunities to see and understand the process better.

While at the Board of Elections office, Hearst Television's National Investigative Unit was able to witness the emptying of a nearby ballot dropbox and the delivery of those ballots to the facility. You can watch the full video below.

Safeguarding the security of ballot boxes is also a critical concern for LaVoie. She shared her own insights into the measures undertaken in Maryland to protect voters' ballots.

In addition to the statewide 24/7 surveillance of all ballot boxes, Baltimore County has introduced additional security protocols. An armed security company conducts hourly patrols from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. when buildings are closed. Additionally, county law enforcement maintains round-the-clock patrols. LaVoie and her security coordinator also view the cameras attached to the boxes continuously while in the office.

"Upon learning of the arson incidents occurring around the country, we immediately increased the number of pickups at the ballot boxes," LaVoie said. "I have also alerted the police and the staff in each building where boxes are located, requesting that they, too, assist with patrolling the boxes as often as possible and to report anything suspicious. By removing ballots from the boxes more often each day, we reduce the risk of ballots being tampered or destroyed."

LaVoie continued, "Unfortunately, there are bad actors and criminals who find ways to break laws regardless of the many protections that are in place. We do all we can to be proactive to protect voted ballots."