Polling stations are receiving Russian bomb threat emails, FBI says

The 2024 U.S. election is rife with disinformation. Now, there’s bomb threats.

On Nov. 5, Election Day, the FBI released a succinct statement acknowledging numerous bomb threats at voting centers. The agency suggests foreign tampering in U.S. elections:

The FBI is aware of bomb threats to polling locations in several states, many of which appear to originate from Russian email domains. None of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far.

Election integrity is among the FBI’s highest priorities. We will continue to work closely with our state and local law enforcement partners to respond to any threats to our elections and to protect our communities as Americans exercise their right to vote.

Months ago, the federal government warned that Russia would employ disinformation and other tactics in the U.S. election. “Russia is using its state-run media and other entities to covertly push for its preferred election outcomes, seeking to influence voter preferences in favor of the former president and to diminish the prospects of the vice president,” Matthew G. Olsen, the head of the Justice Department’s national security division, said at a Columbia Law School speech in September.

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The FBI advises vigilance as Election Day progresses:

As always, we urge the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to state or local law enforcement, or submit tips to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or online at tips.fbi.gov.

Be wary of candidates claiming victory too soon. Voters may be eager to hear presidential election results as soon as possible but, according to election experts, a count is rarely official the day votes are cast, since the process for validating, processing, and counting every single ballot takes time.

Media outlets — and candidates — may call an election early, based on projected figures and the size of the margin between the candidates in various battleground states. But that doesn’t mean every vote has been tabulated yet, especially in states that don’t allow mail-in, absentee, or early-cast ballots to be processed before election day. Be careful to validate the sources of any official calls that may circulate online. Learn how election winners are called by reputable organizations, like the  Associated Press.

Individuals are encouraged to follow the election bodies in key battleground states for the most accurate information and official counts: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.