Election workers across the country are being bombarded with threats, and law enforcement agencies across the country are devoting “substantial resources” to ensuring public safety during the election, according to a new threat assessment obtained by ABC News.
The document, sent Monday by the NYPD Intelligence Bureau, summarizes the full picture of Election Day threats, including the risk of physical violence and disinformation generated by foreign governments. Potential targets include “election personnel and government officials, campaign offices, as well as voting-related sites, infrastructure and technology,” the assessment said.
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“Individuals may use a variety of tactics, including physical attacks, threats of violence, delivery of suspicious packages, swatting, arson and property destruction, intimidation, as well as cyber attacks and mis/dis/mal information campaigns,” it said judgement. also said.
The FBI has received more than 2,000 threats against election workers since April and “opened at least 100 investigations into these unlawful actions,” the review said, citing a September report from the U.S. Department of Justice in which more than two dozen people have been indicted.
PHOTO: County workers sort ballots in the extraction and inspection area of the Clark County Elections Department, Nov. 2, 2024, in North Las Vegas, Nevada (John Locher/AP)
In the past week alone, multiple individuals in individual states have faced charges related to threats against election officials, according to the assessment:
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Teak Brockbank, 45, of Colorado, pleaded guilty to transmitting interstate threats after making a series of online threats against election officials in Colorado and Arizona, a Colorado judge and federal law enforcement officials.
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Richard Glenn Kantwill, 61, of Tampa, allegedly threatened an election official.
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John Pollard, 62, of Philadelphia, allegedly threatened to kill a state party representative who was recruiting poll watchers online.
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According to the assessment, threats and hostile rhetoric against election officials have increased online:
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Last month, the NYPD Intelligence Bureau found users on several platforms accusing Georgian Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger of attempting to influence the outcome of the 2024 presidential election and calling for his execution.
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A user of an online extremist messaging channel called for a “national militia for the defense of the Republic” to ensure “election integrity.”
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In September, suspicious packages containing powder were sent to secretaries of state and election offices in at least 15 states.
“Each state administers elections a little differently, but the similarities among all states are that election officials are professional, follow their state’s laws and the process is transparent,” said Benjamin Hovland, chairman of the bipartisan U.S. Election Assistance Commission. told ABC News.
Law enforcement is on alert for threats on Election Day, according to a new report originally appeared on abcnews.go.com