Officials prepare to maintain safety and security on Election Day
(ABC 6 News) – Nationwide fears over election safety and security have made their way to Olmsted County after a man was arrested Sunday for threats of violence at an early voting location.
RELATED: Man arrested for shooting threats towards polling place
The Olmsted County Elections Office was a packed house, with lines out the door on the day before the election, full of voters ready to cast their ballots early.
“Tomorrow’s the last, it is Election Day, and I expect that it would have been a lot longer in lines, so just in the name of efficiency wanted to get it done earlier,” said one early voter Ruchi Gupta.
Just a day prior, that same early voting location was the scene of threats of violence.
Rochester Police say 46-year-old Timothy Kearney came polling place with someone who was there to vote and was making comments about shooting people.
Due to his level of intoxication, Kearney was transported to Saint Marys, then later taken to the Adult Detention Center.
In response to questions surrounding Kearney’s arrest and safety measures police plan to take on Election Day, RPD provided ABC 6 News the following statement:
“RPD is committed to providing the highest level of public safety every day, and election day is no exception. We have been preparing a comprehensive election day plan for several weeks. Per state statute, we will only respond to a polling location if summoned by an election judge. (That was the situation with Mr. Kearney).”
Election threats are a point of concern across the country. Just last week, hundreds of ballots in Washington and Oregon were burned in their ballot boxes.
The FBI is monitoring security issues and the potential of violent protests encouraged by foreign actors, such as Russia and Iran.
“The FBI is looking at all those threats that come in. Here in the command post, we’re triaging that information and we can disseminate that information to the key partners, which is state and local officials throughout the United States,” said James Barnacle, Deputy Assistant Director of the Criminal Division.
In Olmstead County, all head judges are given information on how to keep ballots secure, what to do in an emergency and how to de-escalate a potentially violent situation.
Any potential risks should not stop anyone from casting their vote.
“You gotta make your voice heard, I mean you have a vote, use it. You have a say in how the future of the country goes, how the future of your local community goes, it’s important,” said early voter Matthew Auton.
Polls are open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.
Minnesota voters can go here to check your polling place and see what’s on your ballot.
Iowa voters can go here to check your polling place.