❓WHAT HAPPENED: Bomb threats were made at schools and polling locations across New Jersey, prompting closures and relocations.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: New Jersey voters, law enforcement, and state officials, including Attorney General Matthew Platkin (D).
📍WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday in New Jersey, across at least seven counties, including Bergen, Essex, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Passaic.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Voters should continue to have confidence that they can cast their ballot without fear of intimidation, and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure a free, fair, and secure election.” – Matthew Platkin
🎯IMPACT: Temporary closures and relocations of polling stations, with law enforcement ensuring voter safety.
Several schools and polling places across New Jersey were disrupted by bomb threats during today’s gubernatorial elections, forcing temporary closures and relocations in at least seven counties, including Bergen, Essex, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Passaic. Other polling places across the state remain unaffected.
In Paterson, School 2 and School 10 were closed after threats were received. Hackensack High School was also targeted, prompting a K9 sweep before reopening around 7:30 AM. Ridgewood authorities reported a threat at Somerville Elementary School, leading to the closure of the district’s public schools for the day, though voting continued at the building. In Middlesex County, Avanel Middle School was shut down due to what officials described as an “active law enforcement investigation,” and voters were redirected to Woodbine Avenue Elementary School. Lake Como and Passaic also reported similar incidents, with Passaic Mayor Hector Lora confirming threats in his city.
Despite the disruptions, other polling locations across the state continued to operate as scheduled. Authorities quickly secured affected sites, allowing some to reopen once law enforcement determined they were safe. New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin urged residents to remain confident in the state’s election process, saying, “Voters should continue to have confidence that they can cast their ballot without fear of intimidation, and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure a free, fair, and secure election. Make no mistake: We will not tolerate any attempts to interfere with our elections, and we will swiftly hold accountable anyone who seeks to interfere with the safety or security of our electoral process.”
Concerns about election security have also surfaced in other states. Last year in Arizona, a Democrat election worker in Maricopa County was arrested after allegedly stealing a security fob and keys used for ballot tabulation machines. County officials said all equipment connected to the incident was immediately reprogrammed and retested to ensure the integrity of the elections.
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