After Trump assassination attempt, some election officials revisit safety protocols for poll workers
NORTH CAROLINA (WTVD) -- The assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump is leading some election officials to think about how to enhance security for poll workers and voting sites.
Towanna Dixon tells ABC11 she immediately thought of her team at the Moore County Board of Elections when she first learned of the attempt on Trump's life.
"Usually when you see something like that my first concern is: 'I wonder what my poll workers are thinking."
Dixon says her team has already been on alert. In the last election, they were monitoring for people potentially bringing guns to polling sites, threatening to harm others. But she says this attack on a presidential candidate is urging them to take things up a notch. That means updating safety trainings and stocking up on generators for polling sites. That also means closely working with the county's emergency management team so they will be located near polling sites.
"Anything that happens, we're still able to vote, but we're still able to protect as well. We've been telling our poll workers that so they know that if they don't see us, they're going to see somebody and that they're there to help them if anything happens," Dixon said.
Dixon says she's concerned poll workers might drop out because of the political climate.
Bre Eldridge says she's also worried about the political climate saying talented, valuable political candidates could back out of running. That's why she's opened this resource center with her colleagues to help candidates with their campaigns.
"We don't want people to be scared off of stepping up and doing something that's productive for their community," Eldridge said.
"We need to focus on the issues and the problems that need to be solved."
One elected official says just peacefully engaging in the civic process can make a big difference.
"Know you're elected officials, know where they're coming from. Be respectful of the process. And this is not about so many individuals but it's about us together."
