In December 2020, Donald Trump and his allies were promoting unsubstantiated claims of widespread election fraud, leading to threats against top election officials. A young technician from the company responsible for Georgia’s voting machines also began receiving death threats, along with his family. Gabriel Sterling, a prominent elections official in the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, expressed his anger during a press conference at the Georgia State Capitol, stating, “It has all gone too far. It has to stop. Someone’s going to get hurt. Someone’s going to get shot. Someone’s going to get killed.”
Four years later, the intense atmosphere surrounding elections persists. Former President Trump has survived two assassination attempts, including one at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which resulted in a fatality. His warnings about election fraud and rhetoric on immigration have exacerbated threats against election workers and certain immigrant communities.
In an FBI bulletin obtained in October, a warning was issued to local and state officials nationwide of the potential for violence from extremists with election grievances, urging increased precautions at polling places and election offices. Sterling recently commented that although officials may be more prepared this time, vigilance is necessary to counter new tactics aimed at disrupting the election process.
Sterling shared an instance from a security briefing where law enforcement suggested parking vehicles beside polling place windows to guard against bomb threats. He emphasized the evolving strategies election officials must confront. Despite the challenges, Sterling assured that dedicated election officials are working diligently to ensure safe and fair elections and urged voters to feel secure in casting their ballots. He hopes that the constant emphasis on fair elections will eventually dispel the pervasive misinformation.
Though Trump has not explicitly stated he will accept the election results, he insists on doing so only if the election is “fair and legal and good.” Meanwhile, false claims about election fraud, disaster relief, and immigrants continue to circulate. Following an indictment in Georgia over allegations of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results, online threats were directed at the grand jurors involved.
Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene recently revived a debunked story about a voting machine error in Georgia, inaccurately claiming a swap of votes from Trump to Vice President Kamala Harris. Additionally, Trump-aligned members of the Georgia State Election Board enacted provisions allowing local board members to refuse to certify election results, which led to a judge, who opposed the rule, receiving online threats.
This persistent rhetoric and misinformation have substantially impacted voters. Daryl Kidd, who attended a recent Trump rally, expressed confidence in Georgia’s election security due to recent legislation but remains open to questioning results in other states. Conversations at Democratic canvassing events and among volunteers, like Tahmida Shamsuddin, reveal concerns about growing divisions and misinformation.
Immigrant communities, represented by individuals like Tha Vin, who find the rhetoric against immigrants as a significant electoral issue, are taking part in the political process to protect democratic principles. Vin, a refugee from Cambodia, feels his vote is a symbol of belonging in the country that offered his family refuge decades ago. As he prepares to vote with his son, niece, and nephew, he views it as a reaffirmation of their place in the country.
