Nevada election official ‘concerned for the safety’ of vote counters, adding security
A Nevada election official said Thursday there is concern for the safety of the volunteers who are counting election votes.
Nevada is among the closely-monitored states that could decide the winner of the presidential election between President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden. If Biden wins Nevada, he will have enough electoral votes to win the presidency, based on the races that have been called by the Associated Press.
Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Clark County Election Center in Las Vegas on Wednesday night to challenge the vote, according to Reno Gazette Journal.
Joe Gloria, the Clark County registrar of voters, said Thursday his wife and mother are concerned for him, “but we have security here,” he added.
“We have law enforcement who are protecting us. I am concerned for the safety of my staff,” Gloria said. “We’re putting measures into place to make sure that we have the security that is necessary.
“We will not allow anyone to stop us from doing what our duty is in counting ballots,” the registrar said.
Officials said that vehicles are being monitored as they enter and exit the facility.
As Gloria spoke to the media Wednesday, an unidentified man wearing a “BBQ, BEER, FREEDOM” tank top interrupted him by shouting unverified claims that Biden is attempting to steal the election.
There has been no evidence so far to indicate any attempts to illegally manipulate ballots or the counting process, according to election observer the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the AP reported.
Gloria appeared unshaken as the man left, asking media members, “Where were we?”
Protesters have gathered outside election offices in several cities across the country crucial to the vote counting process, including Phoenix and Detroit.
This story was originally published November 5, 2020 at 2:47 PM with the headline "Nevada election official ‘concerned for the safety’ of vote counters, adding security."