The U.S. noticed a rash of discredited bomb threats referred to as in at polling locations in a number of states on Election Day, in some instances spurring the necessity for prolonged voting hours.
Defective bomb threats had been referred to as into no less than 5 states, one thing the FBI later attributed to Russian accounts.
A minimum of seven completely different polling places in Georgia had been focused with bomb threats, one thing Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) likewise attributed to a “foreign state actor.”
Related threats had been made at polling locations in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, together with hoax bomb threats made at polling locations within the Navajo Nation in Arizona.
Not one of the bomb threats had been deemed credible, however they nonetheless brought on disruption at polling locations, sparking evacuations and delays.
“We’ve also been made aware that in the course of the last hour, multiple bomb threats have been called into polling locations and municipal buildings across Pennsylvania,” Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) stated at a press convention Tuesday. “State and local law enforcement, along with the FBI, are investigating these threats and thus far there is no credible threat to the public.”
The FBI attributed the threats in a number of states to Russia, noting the threats stemmed from Russian accounts.
“The FBI is aware of bomb threats to polling locations in several states, many of which appear to originate from Russian email domains,” the FBI stated in a press release.
“None of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far.”
In some instances, judges ordered prolonged voting hours in areas impacted by the bomb threats.
A Pennsylvania decide granted a request from the Clearfield County solicitor to increase voting a further hour on the Clearfield County Administrative Constructing, permitting voters to solid a poll on the location by way of 9 p.m. EST.
Voting hours had been likewise prolonged at a number of Georgia polling places impacted by bomb threats.
A decide additionally ordered prolonged voting hours at 9 completely different Navajo Nation websites, however that change got here after polling locations there skilled points printing ballots.
Russia has denied it was behind the varied bomb threats.
“We have noticed the statement of the U.S. intelligence services accusing our country of disseminating fabricated videos about electoral violations in the United States. We view these allegations as baseless,” the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., stated in a press release, writing it had not acquired “any proof” to again the claims.
Past the bomb threats, U.S. intelligence officers additionally pinned Russia as being behind various varied disinformation efforts.
“Russia is the most active threat. Influence actors linked to Russia in particular are manufacturing videos and creating fake articles to undermine the legitimacy of the election, instill fear in voters regarding the election process, and suggest Americans are using violence against each other due to political preferences,” the Workplace of the Director of Nationwide Intelligence, the FBI, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Safety Company introduced in a joint assertion late Monday.
Zach Schonfeld and Yash Roy contributed.
