By Allyn Tucker
Boston University News Service
Four years ago, election workers and volunteers manned the polls in fear, as the 2020 general election brought forth an unprecedented mirage of violent threats to the fair election process. As workers gear up for today’s Election Day, election officials must do their jobs while their safety is in question.
Following his presidential election loss to President Joe Biden, Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump claimed that the election was stolen from him, falsely citing fraud and rigged voting machines across the country as the cause of his underperformance.
Despite concrete proof that Biden fairly won the election, Trump’s rhetoric has not ceased, as he has continued to use his social media presence to lead millions of his supporters to believe that they cannot trust the election process:
“Those involved in unscrupulous behavior will be sought out, caught, and prosecuted at levels, unfortunately, never seen before in our Country,” Trump posted recently on the platform X, referring to election fraud.
Only about a fourth of registered Republican voters have at least “quite a bit” of faith in the nationwide count for today’s competition, according to a poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. In turn, election officials, many of them volunteers working to preserve democracy, face the consequences of these claims.
In a poll conducted by the Brennan Center, an expected 1.5 election officials per day have left their position between the election 2020 and the election in 2024. This also means more election officials with little experience will work this election, who may be unaware of the resources aiming to assist them through the election process.
The same research shows that one in three election officials has faced harassment, threats or abuse because of their work, and more than one in five officials is concerned about future physical abuse.
These fears are not going unaddressed, however. Over 92% of election officials have taken necessary steps to increase security and safety at the polls for voters and volunteers, according to the Brennan Center. Many locations have added security cameras, police presence and panic buttons, which alert law enforcement of threats immediately when pressed.
These steps also include hours of meetings ahead of the election, creating a solid plan to ensure safety and fairness on election day. Poll workers are properly prepared to deal with voters who may look to cause issues, and officials have gone as far as running drills in case of emergency situations.
Despite the possibility of threats today, local, state and federal law enforcement are on watch to protect the polls. It’s important for voters and volunteers to understand that steps have been meticulously taken to ensure a smooth voting process for Election Day 2024.