By JULIE CARR SMYTH, Related Press
Legislation enforcement and election officers in New Jersey acted swiftly Tuesday to safe polling locations following a collection of bomb threats later decided to be unfounded.
Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Means, who additionally serves because the state’s high election official, mentioned the threats had been emailed to seven counties, together with Passaic, a key swing county the place the Division of Justice had despatched election displays.
“Legislation enforcement has decided that there are not any credible threats presently,” Means mentioned. “We’re doing every little thing in our energy to guard voters and ballot employees and coordinate intently with state, native and federal companions to make sure a easy and secure election.”
The threats got here as the ultimate day of voting started within the state’s closely-watched race for governor and a 12 months after a collection of bomb threats disrupted voting throughout final 12 months’s presidential election, largely in battleground states. Bomb risk hoaxes additionally circulated in Springfield, Ohio, final 12 months after Donald Trump through the marketing campaign amplified false claims of Haitian immigrants there abducting and consuming pets.
The threats Tuesday concerned polling locations in Bergen, Essex, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Passaic counties, New Jersey Lawyer Basic Matthew Platkin mentioned in a press release. Some polling areas had already reopened to the general public, he mentioned, whereas voters at others had been being directed to close by polling areas to solid their poll.
“Legislation enforcement officers have responded at every affected polling place, they usually have labored swiftly to safe these polling areas and make sure the security of each voter,” Platkin mentioned.
The FBI’s Newark workplace mentioned it was conscious of the studies and was aiding the state and native businesses.
Passaic County obtained three threats and redirected some affected voters to different areas early Tuesday, county spokesperson Lindsay Reed mentioned in an e mail. One location, a college constructing, was cleared and voting had resumed.
Passaic is amongst six counties in two states the place the DOJ introduced final month it might ship federal observers. The opposite 5 are in California, which is holding a particular election asking voters to permit a redraw of the state’s congressional map as a approach to counter Republican redistricting urged by Trump.
The DOJ was responding to requests from the Republican events in every state, each of that are beneath Democratic management. The division mentioned its purpose in deploying the displays was “to make sure transparency, poll safety, and compliance with federal legislation.”
Related Press author Kathy McCormack in Harmony, New Hampshire, contributed to this report.
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