US election: FBI warns of bomb threats at polling stations, says suspected links traced to Russia

As many Americans await the outcome of the presidential election, the country’s secret service, the FBI, has warned of bomb threats at polling locations across “multiple” U.S. states, noting that none were considered credible but many appeared to trace back to Russia.

The FBI statement came as officials in Georgia reported that hoax bomb threats had briefly interrupted voting on Tuesday.

The 2024 U.S. presidential election campaign has been particularly volatile, prompting unprecedented Election Day security amid concerns over civil unrest, election tampering, and threats to poll workers.

Also Read: Egypt reaffirms support for Sudan as civil war ravages nation

“The FBI is aware of bomb threats to polling locations in several states, many of which appear to originate from Russian email domains,” FBI spokeswoman Savannah Syms said. “None of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far,” she added, urging the public to “remain vigilant.”

Georgia’s Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, confirmed that authorities had identified the source of the threats, which briefly affected polling sites, as coming from Russia.

At least seven polling stations in Georgia’s Fulton County were among those temporarily closed. South Fulton Mayor Kobi told AFP that “none of the polling places were closed for more than 30 minutes.”

Outside Feldwood Elementary School, one of the affected locations, he remarked, “There are some people trying to discourage South Fulton from voting, but we are the Blackest city in the United States. We are descendants of people who faced lynch mobs and water cannon…to exercise the right to vote. We aren’t going to let bomb threats turn us around.”

With Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump in a deadlock in the final stretch of the 2024 race, authorities are working to reassure Americans of the security of their votes while ramping up physical protections nationwide.

Poll workers have been provided with panic buttons, SWAT teams have taken positions on rooftops, and hundreds of National Guard members are on standby.

The FBI also set up a national election command post in Washington to monitor threats 24/7 during election week, and security has been increased at many of the nearly 100,000 polling sites across the country.