Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Increased security 'is part of running an election now'

A woman and a man stand in front of double-doors.
Bill Rinehart
/
WVXU
Board of Elections Director Sherry Poland and Deputy Director Alex Linser guide a tour of the Hamilton County Board facility in Norwood, September 25, 2024.

Some election officials across the country have received threats ahead of this November's election. Boards of election, and secretaries of state in at least 15 states, including Ohio, have received suspicious packages.

“It is something that election officials plan for,” Hamilton County Deputy Director Alex Linser says. “It is something that is part of running an election now.”

The Ohio Secretary of State's Office received a package with an unidentified powder that was later determined to be non-hazardous. Gov. Mike DeWine has authorized additional security for Secretary Frank LaRose in response to specific threats against him.

Linser says his office has not received any credible threats.

RELATED: FBI investigates suspicious packages sent to election officials in at least 15 states

“We worked with local law enforcement to do a security review of our building, and we have spent over $100,000 on security enhancements to the physical facility,” Linser says.

He adds they also paid attention to election workers. “We did refresher trainings on all of the processes, including our emergency procedures so that everybody is at the top of their game going into the big election.”

Linser says they're being proactive by being transparent. The Board offers tours of their facilities, and explanations of procedures.

“You can sign up on our website, but they are filling up really quickly,” he says. “They have been really popular, which is great. We do have to cut them off at a certain point because once we start voting we don’t have the ability to walk people around the building for security purposes.”

There are two more tours scheduled this Tuesday and Wednesday.

The last day to register to vote in Ohio is Oct. 7. Early voting starts the next day and runs until Nov. 3.

Bill Rinehart started his radio career as a disc jockey in 1990. In 1994, he made the jump into journalism and has been reporting and delivering news on the radio ever since.