Governors in three Western states are activating National Guard troops ahead of Tuesday’s elections in preparation for potential unrest as the votes are counted, while other states bolster security measures.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) and Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) have issued orders making some National Guard personnel available on Election Day. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) said the National Guard would be on standby if needed.
The governors said their steps were purely precautionary, taken after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued warnings over threats to election infrastructure.
“After consulting with stakeholders across the state, I have decided that a precautionary activation of the National Guard makes sense at this time,” Lombardo said in a statement. “We do not expect that these personnel will need to be deployed.”
The orders come at the crescendo of one of the most divisive political periods in modern American history, in which the specter of political violence looms larger than at any point since the Vietnam War.
In a letter to his state adjutant general, Inslee cited the most alarming act of political violence so far this year: An attack on a ballot drop box in Vancouver, in southern Washington, in which an incendiary device destroyed hundreds of ballots. A similar incident happened across the river in Portland, Ore.
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management and the Oregon State Police are working with law enforcement in Portland. Kotek’s predecessor, Gov. Kate Brown (D), activated the National Guard during the 2020 elections, too.
Elections officials across the nation have stepped up security in the wake of the 2020 presidential contest, former President Trump’s constant efforts to deny the results of that election, and the threats that have followed. In an open letter to elections officials, Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, acknowledged that elections officials are “operating in a threat environment that is more complex than ever before.”
Other states are taking steps to increase security as well. Massachusetts police will activate a Homeland Security Operations Center to serve as a command hub for election-related activity. Connecticut officials have distributed fire suppression devices to install in drop boxes after the attacks in Washington and Oregon.
“Safeguarding our elections is a top priority. By staying ahead of potential threats, we can take a strong stand, ensuring a safe and secure process for all,” Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas said in a statement.
Deploying the Guard during election season is not unprecedented. In 2020, states such as New Jersey and Wisconsin activated their National Guard troops to help with administering elections in the midst of a pandemic that disproportionately hit senior citizens — exactly the type of people who typically served as election workers and volunteers.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) deployed about 1,000 Guard troops to big cities in anticipation of possible violence that didn’t occur.