New Nevada law protects election workers, could land violators in prison

May 31, 2023

Mahmoud Bennett Anchor/Reporter/Producer

By Mahmoud Bennett (Anchor/Reporter/Producer), Stacey Chamberlain (Editor/Digital Producer)

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There’s been a growing amount of scrutiny over the security of U.S. elections, particularly since 2020. All eyes are on those working the frontlines on election night. They are sometimes used as a scapegoat for those who disagree with the results, prompting some states to pass new protections for election workers in cases of harassment or threats.

Nevada is the latest state to pass the protections. The Republican governor signed a bill that could send a person to prison for years if they overstep at the polls.

The Democratic-controlled legislature passed it unanimously at the direction of the Democratic secretary of state who cited an exodus of election workers due in part to increased threats.

According to the Straight Arrow News Media Miss tool, the passing of the bill to enhance election worker protections is only being reported by one side of the media landscape. Left-leaning outlets are boasting about the governor’s passage of the bill, but there is an absence of coverage by right-leaning outlets.

It’s not only Nevada creating new laws out of precaution. Maine, Vermont, Washington, New Mexico and Oklahoma have all taken similar steps to protect election officials.

If someone harasses an election worker in Washington, they could face five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. In New Mexico, the secretary of state was forced into hiding in late 2020 amid threats that were traced back to Iran. A survey of 600 election workers by the Brennan Center for Justice concluded that one in every six have felt threatened on the job.

The Department of Justice launched its own task force in July of 2021 to address intimidation of election workers. It brought forth four federal cases in the first year of its establishment.

Tags: 2020 elections, Election security, Nevada, Voting

KARAH RUCKER: THERE’S BEEN A GROWING AMOUNT OF SCRUTINY OVER THE SECURITY OF U.S. ELECTIONS – PARTICULARLY SINCE 20-20.

ALL EYES ARE ON THOSE WORKING THE FRONTLINES ON ELECTION NIGHT.

AND SOMETIMES USED AS A SCAPEGOAT FOR THOSE WHO DISAGREE WITH THE RESULTS. AND NOW A HANDFUL OF STATES ARE MOVING TO PASS NEW PROTECTIONS FOR ELECTION WORKERS IN THE CASE SOMEONE THREATENS OR HARASSES THEM.

NEVADA BEING THE LATEST STATE TO DO SO – THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR SIGNING A BILL THAT COULD SEND A PERSON TO PRISON *FOR YEARS* IF THEY OVERSTEP AT THE POLLS.

THE DEMOCRATIC-CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE PASSED IT UNANIMOUSLY AT THE DIRECTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SECRETARY OF STATE WHO CITED AN EXODUS OF ELECTION WORKERS DUE IN PART TO INCREASED THREATS ACCORDING TO THE STATE OFFICIAL.

THE PASSING OF THE BILL ENHANCING ELECTION WORKER PROTECTIONS IS ONLY BEING REPORTED BY ONE SIDE OF THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE. LEFT-LEANING OUTLETS ARE BOASTING THE GOVERNOR’S PASSAGE OF THE BILL. WHILE RIGHT-LEANING OUTLETS HAVE BEEN QUIET IN THEIR COVERAGE OF NEW LAWS PROTECTING ELECTION WORKERS.

IT’S NOT ONLY NEVADA CREATING NEW LAWS OUT OF PRECAUTION. MAINE, VERMONT, WASHINGTON, NEW MEXICO, AND OKLAHOMA HAVE ALL TAKEN SIMILAR STEPS TO PROTECT ELECTION OFFICIALS. IF SOMEONE HARASSES AN ELECTION WORKER IN WASHINGTON – THEY COULD FACE FIVE YEARS IN PRISON AND A 10 THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE. IN NEW MEXICO — THEIR SECRETARY OF STATE WAS FORCED INTO HIDING IN LATE 2020 AMID THREATS THAT WERE TRACED BACK TO IRAN.

A SURVEY OF 600 ELECTION WORKERS BY THE BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE CONCLUDED THAT ONE IN EVERY SIX HAVE FELT THREATENED ON THE JOB.

THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE LAUNCHED ITS OWN TASK FORCE IN JULY OF 2021 TO ADDRESS INTIMIDATION OF ELECTION WORKERS. THEY BROUGHT FORTH FOUR FEDERAL CASES IN THE FIRST YEAR OF ITS ESTABLISHMENT.