Preparation Kept Bomb Threats from Disrupting the 2024 Elections

Summary

The 2024 election was much safer than feared. But threats of violence were also far greater than many realize.The Brennan Center has confirmed that at least 227 bomb threats targeted polling locations, election offices, and tabulation centers around the country on Election Day and the days after. In addition, we saw explosive devices detonating on ballot drop boxes across multiple states in the Pacific Northwest, hoax calls claiming active shooters at schools serving as polling sites in the Northeast, and law enforcement deploying to voting locations across America in response.Despite these incidents — seemingly far greater than in the recent past — the media generally described the election as “smooth,” and “almost boring.” Why? Because officials’ preparation meant disruption was minimal. To keep our elections safe and secure in the future, law enforcement and election officials must continue to invest in and build on the joint election security efforts that proved successful in 2024.The collaboration between election officials and law enforcement ahead of the 2024 election was key to effectual and transparent responses to a variety of crises across the country. This pre-2024 collaboration “was markedly different than the collaboration in prior election cycles, which was often limited to election administrators sharing polling location addresses with local law enforcement,” said Edgardo Cortés, former Virginia Department of Elections Commissioner and current Brennan Center adviser.Unfortunately, elections are likely to remain a high-profile target. And, as we learned in 2024, threats will continue to evolve and emerge throughout the cycle.After the 2020 election, election officials faced a spike in threats, with mobs, armed protesters, and other events outside election offices and tabulation centers. While some administrators — such as Orange County registrar Neal Kelley of California and Scott County auditor Roxanne Moritz of Iowa — felt supported by local law enf...