US election security: Drones, GPS tracking, snipers on rooftops: US officials prepare for high-risk election day | World News

The Harris vs. Trump contest is considered one of the closest contests in recent history. As millions of Americans go to the polls on November 5, the 2024 presidential election is characterized by widespread distrust, misinformation on social media and increased political polarization – creating an atmosphere of tension and volatility.
Driving the news

• As Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump go head-to-head, officials at every level are preparing to navigate one of the most unpredictable and high-stakes elections in recent U.S. history.
• The U.S. government and local authorities have stepped up efforts to combat unprecedented levels of misinformation, possible voter suppression and threats of violence.
• As disinformation from domestic and foreign sources spreads across social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), public trust in the electoral process has reached a dangerous low, posing risks to voter turnout and post-election stability.
• Physical security around polling places and election offices has reached new heights.
• According to a Washington Post report, local governments in swing states like Georgia, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania are beefing up polling places with everything from bulletproof glass to GPS tracking for casting ballots. They are implementing extensive security protocols to protect polling places. Preparations include rooftop snipers to secure a key vote-counting facility, panic buttons for poll workers and drone surveillance from above.
• Philadelphia's election budget has nearly tripled since 2019 as officials have implemented emergency buttons and enhanced security protocols.
• Election officials are cautiously optimistic that the measures will prevent the disruption or harassment seen in recent years. However, Isaac Cramer, a South Carolina elections official, noted, “The cost of securing elections is increasing every day due to new threats.”

Why it matters

• According to a Bloomberg report, this election is notable not only for its intense polarization, but also for the potential impact of low public trust in the electoral process.
• Recent polls show a significant decline in trust in election results, particularly among Republicans: While nearly 70% trust their local polling places, nationally only 28% believe in the integrity of the results.
• This sharp drop in confidence reflects a broader crisis of confidence that has grown steadily since 2020, stoking fears that many Americans may abstain from voting or challenge results they don't like.
• There is a lot at stake. Experts warn that this mistrust, fueled by conspiracy theories and misinformation, could lead to scenarios reminiscent of the post-2020 election unrest. William Pelfrey Jr., a professor of domestic terrorism at Virginia Commonwealth University, told Bloomberg: “Some of these conspiracies don't make any sense at all, but they still spread and influence people's trust in the electoral process.”

Between the lines

• The Justice Department, FBI and other intelligence agencies have coordinated efforts to detect and publicize foreign attempts to influence public opinion on a scale that is in stark contrast to the Obama administration's quieter approach to Russian interference in the 2016 election stands. This active disclosure is considered essential to maintaining public trust. George Barnes, former deputy director of the National Security Agency, stressed that “the government has to put itself in a position to control the narrative,” adding, “You have to act on intelligence … in the public domain.” As a result The current administration has focused heavily on exposing election-related disinformation to reassure voters.
• As foreign actors like Russia amplify fake content — including a widely debunked video of Haitian migrants supposedly voting in Georgia — domestic actors and celebrity influencers are playing an equally important role. Misinformation narratives reflecting former President Donald Trump's stance on voter fraud have gained traction online, with major figures like Elon Musk and Trump himself amplifying them. These narratives include false reports of destroyed ballots, claims of blocked polling places, and allegations that non-citizens voted. Musk's own X platform has become the main venue for these discussions, with posts questioning the legitimacy of the election now reaching millions.
• Meanwhile, state and local governments have had to significantly increase their election budgets to address these threats. The Brennan Center for Justice reports that 92% of local election offices have implemented new security protocols, from cybersecurity upgrades to physical improvements at polling places. For example, Charleston County in South Carolina has spent over $500,000 on election security since 2020, while Durham County in North Carolina has increased its election budget by $1 million. Durham elections director Derek Bowens pointed out that this year's budget covers everything from an emergency alert system that allows employees to discreetly call 911 to GPS-controlled vehicles to safely transport ballots.

What they say
“There’s a lot of craziness going on,” Carah Ong Whaley, director of election protection at Issue One, a nonpartisan think tank focused on electoral politics, told Bloomberg. “We've always had misinformation in elections,” she continued, “but in 2024 the sheer volume of different sentences, facts and beliefs about election integrity is on a scale that I don't think we've seen in our lifetime. ” .” Whaley's comments reflect concerns in both political and intelligence circles that this election has seen an explosion of election-related disinformation that is undermining public trust in an unprecedented way.
See also:US election 2024
In line with these concerns, election officials in battleground states like Georgia, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania are taking steps to protect the election process from disruption. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger told Bloomberg that counties across the state are providing additional resources to “ensure their election offices are fully staffed and funded.” Election security infrastructure is a top priority for local governments, especially in swing states where partisan narratives about election interference are most heated.
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In states like Pennsylvania, where close contests and high voter turnout are expected, officials have implemented new protocols to prevent and quickly resolve voting irregularities. For example, after a misleading video suggesting voter interference went viral, Bucks County clarified that it was a miscommunication and not an intentional restriction and assured voters that alternative methods for receiving mail-in ballots were available. Still, poll watchers and local law enforcement will have a greater presence at polling stations in key counties to address potential harassment or violence on Election Day.
Officials in other swing states have also increased security, according to the Bloomberg report. A new $20 million vote center with bulletproof glass and secure storage is currently under construction in Dane County, Wisconsin. County Clerk Scott McDonell said, “Some people have nice, safe places to put their stuff, others – their machine is in a broom closet.” The new building would change all that. We would have a safe facility for everything.”
What's next?

• To combat conspiracy theories that could discourage voter participation, election officials are working with technology platforms to prevent false information from going viral, even as those platforms face criticism for their hands-off approach to fact-checking. Meta Platforms, for example, has stopped labeling election-related posts and is no longer directing users to its voter information center, a departure from its proactive stance in 2020.
• Additionally, states are taking direct action to increase public confidence in the integrity of the voting process. Michigan, for example, passed a constitutional amendment in 2022 requiring election officials to strictly adhere to procedural guidelines, limiting the possibility of contested results due to a denial of certification. A Michigan state official said, “Our goal is to eliminate confusion. Confusion creates the risk of violence.” These measures aim to dispel doubts in a process already prone to high-risk legal and political disputes.
• Beyond local measures, the Biden administration has significantly updated federal election laws to prevent scenarios similar to those that led to the Capitol insurrection on January 6th.
• The 2022 Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act clarifies that the vice president's role is “solely ministerial in nature,” closing the loophole that Trump allegedly tried to exploit in 2020 and restricts the ability for federal election subversion.

(With contributions from agencies)
See also:
US presidential election | Donald Trump | Kamala Harris | Tim Waltz