US election: Bomb threats disrupt polling in battleground states
The United States presidential election was marred by bomb threats on Tuesday, disrupting polling stations in key battleground states. The threats, which were later confirmed to be hoaxes, impacted voting locations in Arizona, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. In Georgia's Fulton County alone, 32 out of 177 polling places received threats leading to temporary evacuations at five sites.
Pennsylvania governor assures public safety amid threats
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro confirmed that several threats were made during the voting process. However, he assured that they posed no credible danger to the public or the election process. "Every legal, eligible vote will be counted and counted accurately, and the will of the people in...Pennsylvania will be respected," Shapiro said. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) later said these threats came from Russian email domains.
Trump's election fraud claims dismissed as baseless
Former President Donald Trump made baseless allegations of election fraud in major cities such as Philadelphia and Detroit. He hinted on his social media platform that there was "massive cheating" in Philadelphia and that law enforcement was involved, although there was no evidence to back his claims. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner dismissed Trump's allegations as baseless, saying, "There is no factual basis whatsoever within law enforcement to support this wild allegation."
Federal judge in Georgia dismisses Republican challenge
In Georgia, a federal judge rejected a last-minute attempt by Republicans to contest Atlanta-area election offices' collection of mail ballots after early voting had concluded. US District Judge R Stan Baker, a Trump appointee, dismissed the GOP argument as "frivolous." He said it "does not withstand even the most basic level of statutory review and reading comprehension."
Over 84 million Americans vote despite disruptions
Despite these disruptions and legal challenges, more than 84 million Americans had already voted by Election Day. Election officials said that most issues were routine and expected during such a large-scale voting process. Local officials across affected states quickly debunked Trump's claims of voting irregularities, emphasizing the security and integrity of the election process.
