Election security carries on as usual, but Kentucky agencies prepared for problems
While law enforcement agencies in some states have publicly said they are taking additional security precautions against violence in light of the contentious election, several Kentucky authorities say they plan to carry on, as usual, Election Day but are prepared to take action if there are issues.
In Lexington, no serious issues had come up during early voting as of Monday, Fayette County Clerk Don Blevins said. Blevins met with Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers and Fayette County Sheriff Kathy Witt weeks in advance, and there were no indications that there would be unusual problems or security threats.
The state attorney general’s office is legally tasked with election law investigations and reminded voters on Monday to report suspected election law violations to its election fraud hotline at 1-800-328-VOTE.
“If we receive a call regarding a threat of physical violence, we would work closely with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure that it is investigated and responded to appropriately,” said Elizabeth Kuhn, spokeswoman for the Kentucky attorney general’s office. “This is the same protocol we would follow during any election.”
The Kentucky State Police said that it had not been requested to provide any added Election Day security as of late last week.
The FBI’s Louisville office began its preparations for Election Day weeks in advance, spokeswoman Katie Anderson said.
“As always, we are working closely with our federal, state, and local partners so everyone involved with safeguarding the election has the information and resources necessary to respond in a timely manner to any violations that may arise,” Anderson said. “Of course, our preparations for 2020 take into account the current climate of the country. The FBI has a responsibility to plan for a host of potential scenarios. We are committed to protecting the American public’s right to a fair and safe election by securing it.”
The FBI’s Louisville office gathers and analyzes intelligence related to violence around any motivation, including elections, Anderson said.
“It is vital that the FBI, our law enforcement partners, and the public work together to protect our communities as Americans exercise their right to vote,” Anderson said. “We encourage members of the public to remain vigilant and immediately report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.”
Per its standard election protocol, the FBI’s national headquarters will have an election command post to assess election-related threats, Anderson said. In addition, FBI field offices, like the one in Louisville, will have their own command posts to more easily coordinate with local and state agencies.
The FBI’s Louisville office also sent out a message to the public last month, assuring Kentuckians that it is committed to protecting the integrity of the election by investigating allegations of fraud, civil rights violations and any outside influence.
