Security tightened ahead of US election

The National Guard was activated, an FBI headquarters was set up in Washington and special weapons teams were deployed on rooftops as the US headed to the polls.

Security tightened ahead of US presidential election

Panic buttons were set up for poll workers, special weapons teams were deployed on rooftops and hundreds of National Guard personnel were on standby.

Security for the US presidential campaign, which will take place on November 5, is being increased to unprecedented levels due to concerns about civil unrest, voter fraud or violence against election workers.

The states of Oregon, Washington and Nevada have activated the National Guard — and the Pentagon says at least 17 states have deployed a total of 600 National Guard troops on standby if needed.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has set up a national election command post in Washington to monitor threats 24 hours a day during election week, and security has been stepped up at many of the nearly 100,000 polling places across the United States.

The National Conference of State Legislatures says 19 states have enacted laws to enhance election security since 2020.

With Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump entering the fray, officials are keen to reassure worried Americans that their votes are secure, according to SCMP. But they are also ramping up physical security for election operations across the country.

Runbeck Election Services, a company that provides security technology for voting operations, confirmed to Agence France-Presse on Monday that it has ordered about 1,000 panic buttons for customers including election facilities and their staff.

These small devices, worn on a strap or carried in a pocket, pair with the user's mobile phone and contact police or other authorities in the event of an emergency.

Officials in seven key states are eager to demonstrate confidence in a safe and fair election.

“In Georgia, voting is easy and cheating is hard. Our system is secure and our people are ready,” Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger told reporters on Monday.

He said fringe activists could bring some “drama” to the process. But Mr. Raffensperger added that he hoped the election would be safe in Georgia.

In Arizona, officials have turned the state's main election and ballot counting facility, in Maricopa County, into a veritable fortress. The building now has iron fences, barbed wire, armed guards and a SWAT team on the roof.

“Since January 2021, our office has enhanced access card security, installed permanent barriers, and added additional cybersecurity measures based on recommendations from law enforcement and other experts,” said Taylor Kinnerup, communications director for the Maricopa County Clerk’s Office.

In Pennsylvania, preparations include securing infrastructure and working with security agencies and police. The new layers of security were put in place following the chaos of the 2020 election, especially after Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to stop the certification of results confirming Joe Biden as the winner.

Officials also warned of major cyberattack and hacking threats, particularly from foreign countries, aimed at undermining Americans' confidence in the legitimacy of the election and "inciting partisan discord."

Meanwhile in Washington, tall metal fences have been erected around the vice president's residence and the White House, and some storefronts have been boarded up.

“There will be no tolerance for violence in our city,” DC Police Chief Pamela Smith told reporters on Monday.

“If it takes more time to know the outcome of this election, we want people to know that we are prepared to handle a variety of scenarios and we have the right people in place to keep our city safe,” the official added.

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