Georgia’s Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, reported that bomb threats targeting polling centers on Election Day appear to have originated from Russia. Due to these threats, several polling locations in Georgia, a key battleground state, were temporarily evacuated on Tuesday morning. Despite the threats, officials do not believe they posed a credible danger.
“We’ve heard some threats that were of Russian origin,” Raffensperger stated during a press briefing on Tuesday morning. “I don’t know how to describe that that’s viable, we don’t think they are, but in the interest of public safety, you always check that out.”
Raffensperger emphasized the importance of a cautious approach, saying, “We’ll just continue to be very responsible when we hear about stuff like that. We’ve identified the source and it was from Russia. They’re up to mischief it seems. They don’t want us to have a smooth, fair, and accurate election.”
Georgia is one of seven critical swing states that could shape the results of the 2024 Presidential Election. Raffensperger confirmed that five to seven precincts received bomb threats, with evacuations occurring at two polling sites in Union City and Fulton County.
The FBI later released a statement acknowledging that bomb threats affected polling centers in three states—Georgia, North Carolina, and Maine—traced back to Russian email domains. “The FBI is aware of bomb threats to polling locations in several states, many of which appear to originate from Russian email domains. None of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far,” the agency’s statement read.
“Election Integrity is among the FBI’s highest priorities. We will continue to work closely with our state and local law enforcement partners to respond to any threats to our elections and to protect our communities as Americans exercise their right to vote,” the FBI added.
In the Pacific Northwest, authorities are investigating recent attacks on ballot drop boxes in Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, where incendiary devices were detonated last week. During an October 30 press conference, law enforcement officials warned that the suspect responsible may strike again, noting that the devices were marked with the phrase “Free Gaza.”
The FBI has encouraged the public to stay alert and report any suspicious activity to local or state authorities. Tips can be shared with the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or by visiting tips.fbi.gov.
