The FBI says hoax “Russian bomb threats” were made to polling places in several states as Americans cast ballots in one of the closest elections in American history.
“None of the threats have been determined to be credible to date,” the FBI said in a statement on Election Day.
“The FBI is aware of bomb threats against polling places in several states, many of which appear to have originated from Russian email domains.”
Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger provides an Election Day update in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, November 5, 2024
An early morning bomb threat in Atlanta, Georgia closed two polling places.
Georgian Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said at a news conference that the “source came from Russia.”
Fulton County School Police received threats around 8:15 a.m. ET at a school where polling places were located.
Feldwood Elementary School in south Fulton was evacuated by authorities and no evidence of a bomb was found.
Raffensperger continued, “We heard some threats that were of Russian origin. It was a bomb threat.’
He said his team did not think they were “viable” threats.
“But in the interest of public safety, you always check that,” Raffensperger continued.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said the Russians made a hoax bomb threat at a polling station on Election Day
Citizens participate in early voting at a polling place in Atlanta’s Dekalb County
“They are not our friends,” the Georgian official said of the Russians. “It seems like they are up to mischief and they don’t want us to have smooth, fair and accurate elections.”
“And they think they can make us fight among ourselves.”
Ultimately, the false bomb threat will have no impact on the outcome of the elections, authorities confirm.
At a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Fulton County Elections Director Nadine Williams said five locations were threatened, but only two were evacuated.
She said the entire disruption lasted less than an hour.
The affected polling places will now remain open later than the expected closing time of 7:00 PM ET.
An Atlanta voter casts his ballot
A family casts their ballot at the Fulton County Ponce de Leon Library polling place on Election Day in Atlanta, Georgia
Local election officials said the site will likely remain open for another 30 minutes until about 7:30 p.m. local time.
“Election integrity is among the FBI’s highest priorities,” the FBI statement continued.
“We will continue to work closely with our state and local law enforcement partners to respond to any threats to our elections and protect our communities as Americans exercise their right to vote.”