News outlets and politicians won’t let any of us forget how difficult last election cycle was for the country, so everyone has been on high alert for the past several months as we get closer to the 2024 presidential election.
Authorities and officials in several states have already started bracing for the impacts of potential election tension, aggression, protests, and more. Early in October, federal agencies sent out a clear warning to state election officials to be extra vigilant about potential domestic threats from extremists. According to federal reports, these threats could be targeted against political candidates or lawmakers. They could also apply to election workers.
Another similar notice from the Department of Homeland Security suggested that the greatest threat for the upcoming election would likely come from lone offenders and small groups.
Nevada election officials, including Nevada’s Secretary of State, have already been working in collaboration with the FBI to secure different voting areas, state buildings, and more ahead of November 5th.
Nevada played a specific role in the 2020 election fallout since Trump claimed victory in Nevada before the ballots were officially counted and the state was called for Biden. Considering the very contested nature of Nevada’s results, federal and state officials worry that the area could be targeted for increased hostility in 2024.
According to official statistics, Trump lost Nevada by about 30,000 votes. Trump has proclaimed doubts about these results. Six Nevada GOP members also signed certificates saying that Trump won Nevada in 2020 but were later called “fake electors.”
Unfortunately, all this took a big toll on the state. More than half of the top election officials in Nevada resigned between 2020 and 2022 due to receiving persistent threats and feeling burned out as a result of the ongoing contention and conflict.
To ensure that the state’s elections remain safe, secure, and accessible for all, officials have been working since 2020 to pass laws that will foster a safer voting environment for everyone.
In October, Senate Bill 406 went into effect, which makes it a felony to harass, threaten, or intimidate election workers. This has particular significance in Nevada, where around 80% of poll workers are women. The law also makes it a crime to publish any personal or identifying information about an election worker without their consent.
In Nevada, any type of intimidation or harassment of an election worker will be taken extremely seriously. If convicted of this type of crime, then you could face up to four years in prison.
The bill explains that anyone who takes action against an election worker with the intent of interfering with their duties or retaliating against them for performing their duties will be considered guilty of election worker harassment.
If you get accused of interfering with the election in any way, then there’s a great chance that your situation will be treated harshly in light of what happened last election cycle. Get in touch with our team here at LV Criminal Defense now to learn more about how to approach your recent charges.