Montco officials unveil new efforts to provide election security

Officials in Montgomery County have unveiled new tools that, they said, they hope to use to ensure the upcoming election is "fair and safe."

According to a statement from the office of District Attorney Kevin Steele, the county has established an Election Day Tip Line -- which is available at 610-292-2024 -- to allow voters to report any suspicious activity around the ballot drop boxes, at polls on Election Day or threats to election and public officials.

“To anyone thinking about disrupting this election in any way, I’m here to tell you that my office, the Montgomery County Detective Bureau and the entire Montgomery County law enforcement community, is standing together to make sure that we have a fair and safe election, not only on Nov. 5th, but also in the next 50 days leading up to it,” said Steele in a statement. “We will not tolerate abuse of public officials, threats to election officials or abuse of individuals helping out at the drop box locations. Period.”

Officials said that anyone who has concerns of "something of an exigent nature related to the drop boxes such as someone attempting to break into a ballot drop box, vandalizing or damaging a drop box or otherwise doing something criminal, they should immediately call 911, then report it to the Election Tip Line of 610-292-2024."

Also, if a voter sees any suspicious activity around the ballot boxes, suspicious activity at a polling place or knows of any threat to a public or election official, they should report that information to the Election Tip Line, officials said.

"Tips can include suspicious activity at ballot drop boxes, at polling locations on Election Day or threats to election officials or public officials," officials said in a statement.

Montgomery County Detectives will review tips for potential criminal activity or possible violations of the election code and, officials said in a statement, threat reports will be referred to the Montgomery County Detective Bureau’s newly launched Threat Assessment Management Unit.

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The Threat Assessment Management Unit, officials said, is charged with investigating "any threats against public officials, election officials, schools, houses of worship and any activity that endangers the community at large and individuals within the county."

The 18 secure ballot drop-box locations, spread throughout Montgomery County, will be available to drop off ballots beginning in early October and continue through 8 p.m. on Election Day.

All ballot drop-box locations are under video surveillance.

Addresses for secure drop boxes, as well as voting instructions, can be found on the county’s website at https://www.montgomerycountypa.gov/3587/Secure-Ballot-Drop-Box-Locations.

First Assistant District Attorney Ed McCann Jr., Assistant District Attorney Jediah Grobstein and Montgomery County Detectives will work with federal, state, county and local law enforcement, as well as other government officials, to protect access to and the integrity of the Nov. 5, 2024 election.

Reported violations of election laws will be investigated, and if appropriate, prosecuted.

Any potential problems on Election Day, should be reported to the Election Tip Line at 610-292-2024, emailing jediah.grobstein@montgomerycountypa.gov or by calling the County Department of Public Safety Communications Center at 610-275-1222.