National Guard troops monitoring ballot boxes in Washington state after threats
Source: Task & Purpose
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Dozens of National Guard members have deployed to help monitor ballot drop boxes in multiple counties in Washington State, following threats to officials ahead of the midterm elections.
The Washington National Guard confirmed some members had been mobilized Gov. Bob Ferguson called the effort an “Election Neighborhood Watch.” His office confirmed National Guard members are in seven counties: King, Snohomish, Pierce, Thurston, Clark, Lewis and Island. King County is home to Seattle, the state’s largest city. Ballot drop boxes have been operating around the clock in several counties for several weeks already, as part of early voting before Tuesday’s elections.
According to the governor and the military, the National Guard members are unarmed and not in uniform.
“These individuals would not interact with voters or have a conspicuous presence at voting locations, but would be available to immediately coordinate with local authorities should issues arise,” a spokesperson for Gov. Bob Ferguson said in a statement to Task & Purpose.
Ferguson offered the National Guard as an additional security service to counties; it is up to county officials to accept the military presence.
As of Friday, the effort involved roughly 100 National Guard soldiers. It is unclear if that has grown over the weekend or if it will increase on election day itself. A spokesperson for the Washington National Guard declined to discuss operational details, citing “the safety and security of our members performing the neighborhood watch mission.” However, the spokesperson said that the troops’ primary role is to assure that drop boxes aren’t tampered with and that the mission will “occur primarily during hours in which voters would not be utilizing drop boxes.”
The governor cited several instances of envelopes with suspicious materials sent to government officials in recent weeks, including a letter with white powder that was mailed to Washington’s secretary of state. Ferguson cited a similar activation in the 2024 election, when then-Gov. Jay Inslee mobilized National Guard troops after multiple ballot boxes on the West Coast were attacked. That year, a ballot box in the state was hit with an arson attack, damaging hundreds of ballots before the election. Other sites in Portland, Oregon were also damaged in similar attacks.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Ferguson called his offer “proactive,” the Spokesman-Review reported. He added that he was taking every precaution we can to make sure that we’re protecting our voting system.”
It is not clear if the mission will end after Tuesday or continue through the week.
Last month, local officials in Washington, D.C. raised concerns after National Guard troops in the capital were photographed next to a ballot drop box. Joint Task Force-District of Columbia, which oversees the multi-state deployment of troops in the capital, said it was aware of the photo and said it was not sending troops to monitor or secure election sites.
The post National Guard troops monitoring ballot boxes in Washington state after threats appeared first on Task & Purpose.
Classification
Region
North America
Analytical Domain
Strategic
Primary Category / Secondary Categories
Political-Military / Military Operations
SALUTE Report
Size
approximately 100 National Guard soldiers
Activity
monitoring ballot drop boxes
Location
King County · Snohomish County · Pierce County · Thurston County · Clark County · Lewis County · Island County
Unit
Washington National Guard
Time
during the midterm elections
Equipment
unarmed personnel
Summary
Approximately 100 National Guard soldiers are deployed to monitor ballot drop boxes across seven counties in Washington State during the midterm elections. This initiative, termed an 'Election Neighborhood Watch' by Governor Bob Ferguson, aims to prevent tampering with the drop boxes following threats to election officials. The unarmed troops will coordinate with local authorities if issues arise, ensuring voter safety and election integrity.
Key Facts
- National Guard members deployed to monitor ballot drop boxes in Washington State.
- Approximately 100 soldiers are involved in the operation.
- Troops are unarmed and not in uniform, ensuring minimal interaction with voters.
- The operation is a response to threats against election officials.
- The monitoring is primarily during hours when voters are not using drop boxes.