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Published on November 09, 2024
Maryland Election Sites Evacuated After Bomb Threats During Vote Counting, Officials Vow ResilienceSource: Tom Arthur from Orange, CA, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

On what was meant to be a routine day of vote counting, several Maryland Board of Elections sites had to stop operations due to a more troubling incident. Local authorities and election officials reported bomb threats received via email, compelling swift evacuations. In the wake of these threats, State Administrator of Elections Jared DeMarinis issued a resolute condemnation on social media platform X. "I have ZERO tolerance for threats against our elections officials. This madness must stop. We are working with law enforcement and federal partners on these latest incidents. NOTHING will deter us from our mission. It is unacceptable," DeMarinis affirmed, as reported by CBS News Baltimore.

Despite the disruption, DeMarinis vowed to resume the critical work of vote canvassing quickly. "Safety is top concern- but we WILL resume canvassing tomorrow. Cowardly threats whether from abroad or not shall not deter us. You have failed. Our democracy is strong, our staff is strong, our mission will be accomplished. Every vote counts, count every vote," DeMarinis stated, standing defiant in the face of intimidation. While the specific locations targeted by the threats haven't been publicly identified, DeMarinis assured via X that all personnel were safe, as detailed by CBS News Baltimore.

Determined not to let these threats disrupt the fundamental democratic process, DeMarinis reiterated election officials' steadfast commitment. "Again, I have ZERO tolerance for threats against our elections officials. This madness must stop. We are working with law enforcement and federal partners on these latest incidents. NOTHING will deter us from our mission. It is unacceptable," DeMarinis underscored in a declaration on X, as cited by WBALTV, signaling that such acts of cowardice would not sway the steadfast resolve of his team.

This week, these incidents mark the second time that Maryland's electoral process has been threatened, underscoring a concerning trend during the final stages of vote tabulation. Local law enforcement, alongside federal partners, continues to investigate the threats as part of their broader commitment to protect the integrity of the election and the safety of its workers.