Multiple Georgia polling stations affected by bomb threats linked to Russia

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced on Tuesday that a bomb threat affecting several polling locations was traced back to Russian sources, though officials deemed it not credible.

The threat, which impacted between five and seven precincts across multiple counties, prompted immediate responses from local law enforcement, USA Today reported.

Raffensperger emphasized the importance of public safety, stating, “In the interest of public safety, you always check that out.”

He noted that the situation appeared to be part of a broader campaign of disruption, adding, “They’re up to mischief it seems. They don’t want us to have a smooth, fair, and accurate election.”

While Raffensperger mentioned that federal authorities were involved in the investigation, he refrained from detailing which agencies were responding or how he identified the threat's Russian origin. He assured the public that law enforcement acted swiftly to manage the situation.

The FBI confirmed on the same day that similar bomb threats had been reported at polling places across several states, many of which seemed to originate from Russian email domains. The agency stressed that, as of now, none of these threats have been deemed credible.

“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. They urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.

Georgia’s status as a crucial swing state in the presidential race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris makes it particularly vulnerable to foreign interference, according to officials.

Raffensperger's office previously faced disinformation campaigns, including a misleading video that circulated on social media, falsely depicting a Haitian immigrant claiming to have voted multiple times in Georgia.

This video has been attributed to Russian disinformation efforts, according to statements from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

Additionally, Raffensperger's office experienced a cyberattack, a denial-of-service incident, on October 14, which they attributed to Russian interference. In response, the office implemented measures to verify visitors to their website, effectively mitigating the impact of the attack.