Americans go to the polls on November 5 to elect a new president. The two main candidates in this election are Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and former Republican President Donald Trump.
According to Axios, precautionary security measures have been increased as the US prepares to deal with the possibility of unrest during or after election day.
"The U.S. Secret Service is working closely with our federal, state and local partners in Washington, D.C. and Palm Beach County, Florida to ensure a heightened level of safety and security this Election Day," the Secret Service said.
Eight-foot-tall metal fencing is being erected around the White House, the Naval Observatory grounds - home to US Vice President Kamala Harris's residence - and the Palm Beach County Convention Center in Florida, where former President Trump will hold a watch party on election night, according to the US Secret Service.
As of November 3, the D.C. Police Department has announced road closures, parking restrictions, and other security measures around Howard University this week, where Kamala Harris’ election night watch party will take place.
Security fencing will also block off the Treasury Department complex and nearby areas of Lafayette Square, the Washington Post notes. At the Capitol, officials have erected barricades with signs reading: “Do Not Pass.”
The Secret Service stressed that these enhanced measures are not in response to any specific issue but are part of broader public safety preparations for the November 5 election.
WPBF reports that the West Palm Beach Police Department, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security are working together to ensure the safety of everyone at the November 5 election night watch party that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is scheduled to attend. Trump is expected to arrive at the convention center between 10 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. on November 5.
According to Reuters, US states concerned about election unrest have taken security precautions. The most visible security moves are in battleground states that will decide the outcome of this year's US presidential election, such as Nevada. Last week, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo said he had activated a limited force of 60 members of the National Guard to ensure a timely response to any security challenges.
In Arizona, a metal fence was erected at the Maricopa County voting center in downtown Phoenix. Maricopa Police Chief Russ Skinner put the police department on high alert to guard against potential violence, deploying drones to monitor polling places and snipers ready to deploy if violence was likely.
Security measures for the US election have extended beyond the battleground states. Oregon and Washington state authorities said they had activated the National Guard. Some storefront windows in Washington DC and elsewhere have been covered with plywood.
