How officials are keeping polling stations safe during the 2024 presidential election

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – With Election Day in the United States just over a week away, political tensions have sparked security demands. Given the political temperature, measures are being taken to ensure that everyone can vote safely at their polling station.

Speaking to an election judge in Allegheny County, he said if he didn’t feel safe, he wouldn’t have volunteered to participate in the process.

When the polls open at 7 a.m. next Tuesday, poll workers are hoping for a quiet day. Chris Bonneau has been working at polling stations since 2020. He saw minor issues like the removal of a sign or concerns about voter fraud.

“There was some of that, but I didn’t feel uncomfortable or threatened,” Bonneau said.

He says others have had other troubling experiences.

However, volunteers are learning safety protocol and working to de-escalate the situation. In most cases, a little compassion can go a long way.

“Listen to them, listen to their concerns and take notes if you need to take notes on a problem,” Bonneau said via Zoom.

Allegheny County Elections Supervisor David Voy says extra precautions are being taken.

They met with Homeland Security, the FBI, county police and the sheriff’s office ahead of next week’s election.

“We are trying to ensure the presence of a constable at each polling station. We paid a lot of attention to security during this election,” Voi said.

At the state level, Gov. Josh Shapiro has created an election threat task force that includes federal, state and local security and law enforcement agencies. They meet monthly to address any concerns.

“It is necessary to mitigate threats to the election process and to protect voters, our poll workers, our polling places and our election workers from intimidation,” said Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, federal law prohibits threats of violence against election officials and staff along with voter intimidation or bribery.

State leaders say if you see anything that looks like voter intimidation, call your county’s district attorney and the board of elections.