National Guard Monitoring Ballot Boxes in 7 Washington Counties
Plainclothes soldiers will watch ballot drop boxes at night as county officials cite a higher threat environment and recent attacks on election infrastructure.
- In a precedent-setting move, the Washington National Guard is monitoring ballot drop boxes across seven counties, including Snohomish County, to bolster election security before the Nov 3 election.
- Earlier this month, Governor Bob Ferguson offered the "Election Neighborhood Watch" support to counties, citing a "highly charged atmosphere" including reports of suspicious white powder sent to state officials.
- Operating in plainclothes, the unarmed soldiers will serve as extra "eyes and ears" to observe drop boxes and report suspicious activity to 911, while strictly avoiding voter interaction or enforcement duties.
- Meanwhile, the Justice Department is deploying eight monitors to King County to observe vote centers and ballot counting, marking the first such federal presence in the county since 2008.
- Voters have already returned more than 1.5 million ballots ahead of the Nov 3 deadline, with nearly 70% utilizing drop boxes as officials emphasize their security and accessibility.
18 Articles
18 Articles
What role with the US military take at the polls?
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security The Big Story What role with the US military take at the polls? National Guard members in at least seven states will have some form of a role around Tuesday’s highly charged midterm elections. © Natasha Kaiser As Americans...
How National Guard units are being deployed around the midterm elections
National Guard members in at least seven states will perform some sort of role during the highly charged midterm elections. As Americans cast their ballots, plain clothes National Guard members will help monitor ballot boxes in seven counties across Washington state; monitor and defend election networks in Iowa; and assist with election cybersecurity in Colorado. [...]
WA mobilizes National Guard for added security for ballot drop boxes • Washington State Standard
In a precedent-setting move, members of the Washington National Guard are being deployed in seven counties to help protect ballot drop boxes in the final days of the election. The mission, dubbed Election Neighborhood Watch by Gov. Bob Ferguson, appears to be the first large-scale activation of National Guard members to provide greater security of […]
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