A recent poll conducted by the Brennan Center for Justice revealed that nearly 4 in 10 local election officials have encountered threats, harassment, or abuse while on duty. Among the respondents, 38 percent reported experiencing such mistreatment, while 54 percent expressed concern for the safety of their colleagues.
Additionally, 62 percent expressed worries about political leaders attempting to interfere with their work, and 28 percent feared for the safety of their family or loved ones due to threats or harassment.
Almost 40% of local election officials surveyed report threats (Credits: NBC News)
13 percent expressed concern about facing pressure to certify election results in favor of a specific candidate or party. These findings underscore a growing trend of threats and scrutiny faced by local election workers, often linked to baseless claims of voter fraud.
This environment has contributed to a remarkable turnover rate among election officials, leaving many teams understaffed and inexperienced as they pass the electoral process.
Local election officials report threats (Credits: Straight Arrow News)
Persistent conspiracy theories, including unfounded allegations of election rigging in the 2020 election, continue to circulate within the GOP and have been amplified by former President Trump and other mainstream politicians.
In response to these threats, the Department of Justice’s Election Threats Task Force has been investigating numerous incidents since its formation in 2021, resulting in 20 prosecutions so far.
The Brennan Center survey, conducted from February 23 to March 28, received 928 responses from local election officials, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
