Several polling sites nationwide have paused ballots being cast after a reported bomb threat resulted in the building having to be evacuated.
A DeKalb County polling location at the Reid Cofer Library in Atlanta, Georgia, was evacuated just as the polls were about to close at 7 p.m. Once the threat has been decimated, it is unclear if the polls will stay open late.
DeKalb County said it received at least seven bomb threats since voting began at 7 a.m., including at five polling locations. Several election officials said they are extending voting times at the affected locations, but for how long is unknown.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger claimed the bomb threats had been deemed non-credible and could have come from Russia.
“Georgia is not going to be intimidated,” Raffensperger said. "They're up to mischief, it seems. They don't want us to have a smooth, fair, and accurate election, and if they can get us to fight among ourselves, they can count that as a victory."
The FBI released a statement saying they are aware of the bomb threats and are overseeing the issue. They noted that several of the threats originated from Russian email domains. However, none of them so far have been determined to be credible.
“Election integrity is among the FBI’s highest priorities. We will continue to work closely with our state and local law enforcement partners to respond to any threats to our elections and to protect our communities as Americans exercise their right to vote,” the FBI stated.
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On Election Day, another bomb threat was detected in Cincinnati's Hyde Park neighborhood after a suspicious bag was left outside a polling location. The poll was evacuated, but voting resumed 15 minutes later.
However, the Russian embassy in Washington, D.C., called the accusations "malicious slander."
"We would like to emphasize that Russia has not interfered and does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, including the United States. As President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stressed, we respect the will of the American people," they stated.
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