On Tuesday, law enforcement and election officials in New Jersey responded rapidly to a series of bomb threats later deemed baseless, affecting polling places across several counties.
Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way, who also oversees the state's election efforts, confirmed that threats were communicated via email to seven counties, among them Passaic—an area critical to statewide elections.
“There are no credible threats at this time,” said Way. “We are taking every measure to ensure the safety of voters and poll workers while coordinating closely with our state, local, and federal partners to facilitate a smooth election process.”
The timing of these threats coincides with the final hours of voting in a tightly contested gubernatorial race and echoes past incidents in which bomb threats disrupted voting during last year's presidential election in key battlegrounds.
According to New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, the threats specifically targeted polling sites in Bergen, Essex, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Passaic counties. Some locations were able to reopen to the public, while voters at other sites were redirected to nearby polling venues to cast their ballots.
“Law enforcement officers responded at each affected polling site, swiftly securing the locations and ensuring voter safety,” Platkin stated.
The FBI's Newark office confirmed their awareness of the situation and is collaborating with state and local agencies. Passaic County, which received three threats, redirected voters from impacted locations, clearing one polling spot within a school building to resume voting activities.
Passaic County is one of six jurisdictions where the Department of Justice (DOJ) is sending federal observers in response to requests from local Republican parties amid concerns over electoral transparency and security. This follows a similar deployment to California for a special election.
As threats continue to loom over the electoral process, officials remain focused on ensuring that voting proceeds without incident and that the right to vote is safeguarded for all citizens.
