Voting at two polling locations in Georgia was briefly disrupted Tuesday, November 5, following a series of fake bomb threats, local officials reported.
The threats led to the temporary evacuation of two sites in Union City, southwest of Atlanta, for around 30 minutes.
Reportedly, five bomb threats were made, prompting authorities to evacuate voters and election staff from CH Gullatt Elementary School and Etris Community Center.
Nadine Williams, Fulton County’s Director of Registration and Elections, confirmed that the threat had been deemed fake.
“Thankfully, these locations are now operational again, and all polling sites are secure with an active security presence,” she said.
The county is now seeking a court order to extend voting hours at the two affected locations to ensure that voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots. A decision on the extension is expected later today.
At 8:15 am, the Fulton County School Police Department received reports of bomb threats at several schools. Although no elementary schools were targeted, precautionary sweeps were conducted. Classes were cancelled for the day due to the elections, so no students were present on campus.
The South Fulton Police Department issued a statement confirming the situation, and law enforcement agencies responded swiftly to ensure public safety.
President of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Margaret Huang commended Fulton County for its swift action and its efforts to minimise disruption to voters. “We don’t want to allow this to disrupt our votes,” Huang said. “It’s vital that voters can exercise their democratic rights without fear.”
Voting has resumed at both polling locations, and no further disruptions are expected. Local authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.
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