Washington, D.C. – Election 2024 workers nationwide are facing a surge in threats, prompting law enforcement agencies to allocate “substantial resources” to maintain public safety during the 2024 election, according to a threat assessment obtained by media.
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The assessment, issued Monday by the NYPD Intelligence Bureau, details a concerning environment of potential physical violence, cyber threats, and disinformation campaigns, some originating from foreign entities. Targeted groups include “election personnel and government officials, campaign offices, and various voting-related sites, infrastructure, and technology,” the document states.
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“Individuals may employ a variety of tactics that could include physical attacks, threats of violence, suspicious package deliveries, swatting, arson, property destruction, harassment, as well as cyberattacks and mis/dis/mal-information campaigns,” the report warns.
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The FBI has already received over 2,000 threats aimed at election workers and has opened at least 100 investigations into such cases as of April, according to a September report by the U.S. Department of Justice. More than 20 individuals have been charged so far.
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Recent Cases Highlight Escalating Threats
In the past week, several individuals have been charged across multiple states for allegedly threatening election officials:
- Teak Brockbank, 45, of Colorado, pleaded guilty to transmitting interstate threats after making online threats against election officials in Colorado and Arizona, a Colorado judge, and federal law enforcement agents.
- Richard Glenn Kantwill, 61, of Tampa, is accused of threatening an election official.
- John Pollard, 62, of Philadelphia, allegedly threatened to kill a state party representative who was recruiting poll watchers online.
Social Media and Online Rhetoric Fuel Concerns
The threat assessment notes a proliferation of hostile rhetoric targeting election officials on social media. In recent weeks, NYPD intelligence identified users on various platforms accusing Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger of attempting to influence the 2024 election outcome, with some users calling for his execution. An extremist online messaging channel even called for a “national militia for the defense of the Republic” to ensure “election integrity.”
Additionally, suspicious packages containing powder were sent to secretaries of state and state election offices in at least 15 states in September, underscoring the heightened risks facing election personnel.
Benjamin Hovland, chairman of the bipartisan U.S. Election Assistance Commission, told media that despite variations in state election processes, election officials are consistently “professional, they follow the laws of their state, and the process is transparent.”
As Election Day approaches, the coordinated effort to safeguard voting infrastructure and personnel highlights the challenging landscape faced by election officials and law enforcement agencies amid rising threats.
