bigrus

2024 election issues include Russia and fake videos

Harry November 3, 2024

Disinformation campaigns, ballot processing issues and other issues at the polls have been making news ahead of Election Day 2024. Election officials say they are confident in the security measures in place For a safe and fair election.

Authorities have been preparing for problems for months. In May, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee warned that a 2024 election was likely It will be the most attacked by malevolent foreign powers in American history.. Now some of these concerns have made headlines as well. Multiple fake videos linked to Russian disinformation campaignAccording to US intelligence officials.

Meanwhile, local election officials are struggling with other problems with vote counting. Authorities in Oregon and Washington suspect Arsonist set fire to vote collection boxes And Undated ballots in Pennsylvania remain center of court fight.

Here’s a look at several issues surrounding the 2024 elections, including claims of disinformation from foreign governments:

Ballot papers damaged in suspected arson attacks

Officials in Oregon and Washington said a suspected arsonist set fire to ballot drop boxes earlier this week.

Portland police responded to a fire at a ballot box in the Buckman neighborhood around 3:30 a.m. Monday morning, and police in neighboring Vancouver responded to another arson at a ballot box a short time later. The Portland fire damaged only three ballots, thanks to the fire suppression system in the collection box.

The fire in Vancouver damaged almost 500 ballots when the fire suppression system malfunctioned. Election officials are sending new ballots to affected voters but said about six were unidentified and others may have been completely misplaced.

In Oregon, the suspect is believed to be a white male in his 30s to 40s with short hair or balding, a slim to medium build and a thin face, said Mike Benner, a spokesman for the Portland Police Department in Oregon. New York Times And ABC NewsIt was reported that the news, based on unnamed sources, included a message saying “Gaza is free”. Devices used in Monday’s arson attacks were revealed.

“It is very likely that the suspect intends to continue targeted attacks in the area,” Benner warned.

Fake election fraud videos and false claims linked to Russia

U.S. intelligence officials say several fake videos showing voter fraud are linked to Russia’s disinformation campaign. Russia is trying to help Trump defeat Vice President Kamala Harris in the election.

A video purported to show A man claiming to be a recent immigrant from Haiti and a friend who voted for Harris twice in Georgia. According to a statement from US law enforcement and intelligence agencies, “Russian influence actors” were behind this video.

Another video accusing Harris and her husband, Douglas Emhoff, of reporting people who have been indicted music producer Sean “Diddy” Combs According to the joint statement made by the Directorate of National Intelligence (ODNI), FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, it was evaluated that the raid in exchange for bribes was produced by Russian actors and was fake.

Another video showing Mail-in ballots are being destroyed in Bucks County, Pennsylvaniaa major battlefield suburb. U.S. officials said the video was created and amplified by Russian actors.

Trump campaign accuses UK political party of interference

Trump’s campaign filed a legal complaint against Britain’s ruling Labor Party last month after the party’s chief operating officer, Sofia Patel, admitted in a public post on LinkedIn that dozens of party staff had helped Harris’ campaign.

It is not illegal for foreign nationals to serve as campaign volunteers in US elections, as long as they are not compensated. FEC rules. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said current and former Labor Party staff were campaigning on their own time and in their personal capacities.

Trump’s campaign complaint accused Labor officials of “blatant foreign interference” and questioned whether there were “illegal foreign campaign contributions and interference.”

Chinese citizen faces charges for voting in Michigan

A Chinese citizen studying at the University of Michigan, whose name has not been disclosed by the authorities, is being detained Charged for allegedly unlawfully casting an irrevocable ballot.

The Detroit News reported The votes are still being counted because once they are tabulated there is no way to remove them from the system; There is a security measure in place that protects voter privacy and prevents individual votes from being tied to voters.

The Michigan Secretary of State’s Office said the student registered to vote Sunday using ID from school and signed a document saying he was a U.S. citizen. Detroit News. Officials in Michigan did not say whether the vote had any connection to foreign attempts to interfere in the election.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Washtenaw County Attorney said, “Let’s be clear: Voting records are public; any non-citizen who attempts to vote fraudulently in Michigan will expose themselves to grave risk and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” he said. Eli Savit said in his statement:

“Noncitizen voting is an extremely isolated and rare event. Studies in many states and across the country have found no evidence of noncitizens registering to vote in large numbers. Even less common is a noncitizen actually voting.”