Security ramped up nationwide for Election Day, preparing for mass protests

As Election Day is just days away, Washington, D.C., Michigan, Georgia and other states around the U.S. are ramping up security, as massive protests are expected no matter who wins. 

In the deep-blue cities of Philadelphia, Atlanta and Detroit, security measures are taking place to keep election officials safe. In Detroit and Atlanta, some campaign offices have installed bullet-proof glass protecting election offices. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a warehouse that counts ballots has fencing around it topped with barbed wire, according to Reuters.

The executive director of North Carolina’s State Board of Elections said that election workers have been harassed already amid early voting. The state has a law where law enforcement can only be at polling places if there are threats, according to Politico.

Other states such as Massachusetts have a law that requires police presence at polling places no matter what.

Earlier last month, the federal government began fortifying Washington, D.C., for Inauguration Day, which is about three months away. The effort began with crews erecting fencing around the White House, including nearby Lafayette Park, the National Park Service, which is leading the effort, said. 

These efforts historically begin Nov. 1. The park service said it started earlier to "accommodate additional time needed for a safer and more secure environment." According to a report from Axios D.C., there will be armed guards at the D.C. Board of Elections on Nov. 5. A spokesperson told the outlet that this was to keep an eye out for any types of threats at polling stations. 

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser isn't planning on calling the National Guard as of now, but if things get out of hand, she will have the choice to do so. Police Chief Pamela A. Smith told The Washington Post that the entire police department will be deployed through the city to ensure safety in days leading up to Nov. 5. Most officers' paid vacations and leave time has been canceled and they will have to work 12-hour shifts to "ensure we have enough officers on the street and in every corner of the District," Smith said. 

Following the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot in 2021, local and federal officials have been increasing security so another incident like that doesn't occur. 

Taking few chances, local business owners concerned about potential riots have been boarding up their windows, which Bowser said might not be necessary. Bowser has been having phone calls with business groups that are worried about their businesses and potential rioters due to the George Floyd riots in the summer of 2020.

"I hope it's a peaceful transfer of power, but you have to be prepared," a D.C. restaurant owner said during an interview with Axios.