Conspiracy and threats against election officials are poisoning American elections. An investigation reveals the alarming scale of this phenomenon which calls democracy into question. Discover the shocking testimonies and the unique security measures put in place…
American elections are facing a worrying new reality: the rise of conspiracy and threats against election officials. According to an Issue One investigation, this phenomenon is becoming alarming, particularly in key states like Nevada and Arizona.
Growing distrust of the electoral system
More than a third of Americans question the integrity of elections, a trend particularly strong among Republican voters. If distrust is not new, Donald Trump’s refusal to concede defeat in 2020 has thrown the country into an era of widespread doubt.
We’ve really started to see a specific challenge to how elections are administered.
Claire Woodall, expert at the transpartisan Issue One institute
Electoral officials under pressure
Faced with accusations of conspiracy, electoral officials are under considerable pressure. Cindy Elganwho has been in office for more than 20 years in Esmeralda County, Nevada, testifies:
Some people are very passionate, and I can’t blame them for being passionate about their country.
Cindy Elgan, Esmeralda County Elections Officer
However, despite an overwhelmingly Republican vote in her county in 2020, some of her neighbors now believe she is part of a vast conspiracy aimed at preventing Donald Trump from reconquering the White House.
An unprecedented wave of resignations
Threats, harassment, attacks… The pressure suffered by electoral officials has dramatic consequences, leading to a cascade of resignations across the country. According to a report from Issue One, key states like Nevada and Arizona are particularly hard hit.
I have only been in this position for four years, yet I am one of the most experienced officials in the state.
Amy Burgans, election official for Douglas County, Nevada
Amy Burgans, who has received death threats, is concerned about this loss of expertise:
We are losing the institutional competence of people who have been doing this work for years. This does not help make elections more secure. This harms the elections.
An unprecedented strengthening of security
Between 2020 and 2022, a quarter of election officials reported experiencing violence or threats, according to the Elections and Voting Information Center. Faced with this situation, security has been reinforced in an unprecedented way:
- Adoption of bulletproof vests
- Installation of surveillance cameras
- Presence of snipers near certain voting centers
- Using sniffer dogs to inspect mail
In Los Angeles, dogs are even being trained to detect fentanyl, a deadly opioid, in mailed ballots.
A dialogue of the deaf
Despite the transparency efforts made by electoral officials, some remain deaf to any explanation. As Amy Burgans laments:
No matter how hard I try to tell them the facts, they continue to believe the misinformation they were given.
Conspiracy and distrust in the American electoral system are reaching alarming levels, threatening the very foundations of democracy. Faced with this daunting challenge, electoral officials are trying to restore trust, at the cost of their security and sometimes even their careers. A crucial fight to preserve the integrity of the upcoming elections.
