US elections 2024: Hoax bomb threats disrupt voting in multiple key states

US Presidential elections: Polling sites in Arizona, Georgia, and Pennsylvania faced bomb threats on election day, causing evacuations and delays

Amid the ongoing US presidential elections, polling stations in critical battleground states, including Arizona, Georgia, and Pennsylvania, received bomb threats on Tuesday. Though the threats were ultimately found to be hoaxes, they forced temporary evacuations and slowed down the voting process at some locations. 

Polling sites in multiple Atlanta-area counties, heavily populated with Democratic voters, were among those affected. The threats extended into Pennsylvania, where evacuations were ordered at several sites. Arizona’s Navajo County also experienced similar disruptions, according to reports from the Secretary of State’s office.  US elections result 2024

US presidential polls: Officials confirm no credible threats

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro acknowledged the bomb threats but reassured voters that none posed a real danger.

Every legal, eligible vote will be counted accurately, and the will of Pennsylvania’s people will be respected, Shapiro said.

In Georgia’s Fulton County, which includes Atlanta, threats were reported at 32 out of 177 polling locations, resulting in brief evacuations at five sites. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger affirmed Georgia’s commitment to a safe voting process, stating, “Georgia’s not gonna be intimidated’. The FBI later traced the origin of the threats to Russian email domains.

US elections: Trump makes claims on voting in major cities

Former President Donald Trump raised concerns about election integrity in key cities, including Philadelphia, Detroit, and Milwaukee, alleging potential misconduct without providing evidence. His claims, posted on social media, included suggestions of ‘massive cheating’ in Philadelphia, though law enforcement officials quickly refuted these accusations. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner dismissed Trump’s assertions as unfounded, calling for any factual basis to support them.

US presidential polls 2024: Judge dismisses GOP’s legal challenge in Georgia

In Georgia, a last-minute lawsuit by Republicans challenging the collection of mail ballots in the Atlanta area was dismissed by US District Judge R Stan Baker, a Trump appointee, who deemed the argument ‘frivolous’ and legally unsubstantiated.

US elections 2024: States won by Donald Trump so far

Donald Trump has successfully won Texas for a third consecutive presidential race, securing its 40 electoral votes — two more than in 2020, due to the recent census adjustment. Texas has consistently voted for Republican presidential candidates for the past 50 years.

 

The former president has also secured Louisiana’s eight electoral votes, along with three from North Dakota and two from Nebraska, based on their statewide popular votes. In addition, he has won South Dakota, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, Mississippi, West Virginia, Indiana, and Kentucky.

US polls: States won by Kamala Harris so far

Vice President Kamala Harris has won New York and Wyoming, securing 28 and three electoral votes, respectively. Additionally, Harris has won in Maryland, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. 

The outcome of the elections remains heavily influenced by results from seven key swing states — Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, North Carolina, and Georgia — where vote counting may take several days to conclude.

 

(With agency inputs)