MINNEAPOLIS— Dozens of election offices in Minnesota have received bomb threats since Friday, the Minnesota secretary of state announced Tuesday.
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon says election offices in more than half the state’s counties have received bomb threats.
The threats were received by email and reported to the Secretary of State by provincial, state and federal partners.
“Threats of violence against election workers aimed at disrupting our democracy are absolutely unacceptable,” Simon said. “Although Election Day is over, election officials across the state continue their work to verify that the election was free, fair, accurate and secure. In the coming weeks, counties will conduct election investigations, certify election results and post-election reviews.”
Simon says his office is working with local, state and federal law enforcement to ensure those responsible for the threats are held accountable.
Affected counties are responding to the threats according to local policies and procedures.
A recent Minnesota law strengthens penalties for intimidation, threats and intimidation against local election administrators.
In October one joint intelligence bulletin issued by the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI warned domestic extremists “pose a threat of violence against a range of targets directly and indirectly related to elections, at least until the presidential inauguration” on January 20, 2025.
The bulletin said election workers, judicial personnel involved in election-related legal cases, members of the media, representatives of political parties and alleged political opponents are all potential targets.
Simon was targeted in September when the Secretary of State received a letter containing a white powdery substance from a group calling itself the United States Traitor Elimination Army. More than twenty other states received envelopes from that group. The fabric turned out to be harmless.
