Safety of voters and election officials is top of mind for NC Board of Elections

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- While state election officials say, thus far, they're encouraged by the relatively low number of reported incidents at voting locations and county offices, safety measures have already been implemented to protect people should tempers flare.

After threats against election workers and volunteers marred the aftermath of the 2020 elections, the NCBOE is vowing to prevent a similar situation from happening on their watch, saying law enforcement partners are on standby should incidents rise to the level of criminality.

"Have an insurance plan, how do you respond in that situation and hope that it doesn't ever happen," said Karen Brinson Bell, Executive Director of the NC Board of Elections.

Bell said she knows what can happen when tensions boil over in a hotly-contested election in a swing state like North Carolina.

"We've not had death threats or anything of that nature, like some of our counterparts in other parts of the country have. And we're fortunate for that," Bell said. "But, you know, in the environment where we are, we know that's a possibility because we've seen it play out."

Bell and her colleagues at the state BOE remain hopeful that the election remains civil, but that physical safety checks have taken place at county offices across the state as a precaution.

"They've tailored a plan as to what's needed," she said of the safety measures. "Some of them needed panic buttons, some of them needed, you know, like a fingerprint entry."

As far as flare-ups at physical voting locations, Bell said de-escalation training has been provided to officials on-scene if an incident arises -- but that law enforcement is on stand by.

"It is a crime to threaten a an election worker. It is a crime to intimidate voters. And, you know, knock on wood, we really are seeing civility. But that's where your law enforcement would be called in," she said.

In both scenarios, law enforcement agencies such as the Wake County Sheriff's Office are working with local partners to make sure people can vote and volunteer safely. The WCSO said staffing has already ramped up with recent visits from the candidates but it will increase even more around Election Day.

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"That's a whole different animal entirely. And we obviously want to make sure that we've got adequate folks here. We've changed some of the scheduling that we do. We make sure that we've got people, extra people here," said Tony Godwin, WCSO's Chief of Field Services.

Godwin said lessons have been learned since 2020 and that year's threats against workers in several states.

"Every time we have an event, every time we have one of these, we make sure that we get together on the back side of it and say, 'OK, what did we learn? How can we do it better'," Godwin said.