Hoax bomb threats linked to Russia target polling places in battleground states, FBI says; Reuters, November 5, 2024

Tim Reid and Sarah N. Lynch, Reuters; Hoax bomb threats linked to Russia target polling places in battleground states, FBI says

"Hoax bomb threats, many of which appeared to originate from Russian email domains, were directed on Tuesday at polling locations in four battleground states - Georgia, Michigan, Arizona and Wisconsin - as Election Day voting was underway, the FBI said.

"None of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far," the FBI said in a statement, adding that election integrity was among the bureau's highest priorities...

The two locations, in Fulton County, both re-opened after about 30 minutes, officials said, and the county was seeking a court order to extend the locations' voting hours past the statewide 7 p.m. deadline.

Georgia's secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, blamed Russian interference for the Election Day bomb hoaxes."

Russia Escalates Effort to Subvert Election and ‘Instill Fear in Voters,’ U.S. Says; The New York Times, November 4, 2024

 Julian E. Barnes and Steven Lee Myers, The New York Times; Russia Escalates Effort to Subvert Election and ‘Instill Fear in Voters,’ U.S. Says

"Russian groups and other foreign adversaries have unleashed an extensive disinformation campaign to undermine confidence in the election, and senior U.S. officials are worried that Moscow’s efforts could continue to stoke political discord until the election is certified in January...

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the F.B.I. said in a joint statement that foreign adversaries led by Russia were “conducting additional influence operations intended to undermine public confidence in the integrity of U.S. elections and stoke divisions among Americans.”

In recent weeks, the intelligence agencies have dramatically stepped up their alerts. Two weeks ago, they warned of post-election violence. Over the last 10 days, they have now issued three warnings about Russian attempts to undermine faith in the election. And Jen Easterly, the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said her organization would give regular updates Tuesday to inform the public of threats to the election."

ABA election resources help defend and promote democracy; American Bar Association (ABA), October 28, 2024

ABA President William R. Bay, American Bar Association; ABA election resources help defend and promote democracy

"Election Day is around the corner. The most important thing to do is to vote and encourage your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to vote. The presidential election has received a great deal of attention. But there are many other federal, state and local offices being filled in this election. In addition, many important issues are on the ballot. Finally, there are many judges who are seeking election or retention.  As attorneys, people look to us for important information about the judges on the ballots. Please provide that meaningful input to them. That enables them to be better informed voters.

Voting is a civic right and responsibility. Everyone eligible to vote should exercise that right. This is our opportunity to have a say in how our government operates. The American Bar Association encourages all to take advantage of this opportunity. 

The ABA also remains committed to maintaining the integrity and public perception of fairness in the electoral process. Our system of elections is among the safest, most secure and most accurate in the world, and lawyers play a vital role in maintaining that. The ABA offers unparalleled resources to support this cornerstone of American democracy, providing nonpartisan programs and information to support civic engagement and advance the rule of law. Spread the word about our valuable resources and share them with your networks.  

Here are some of our most relevant offerings: 

• ABA Election Center helps people register to vote, update registration, find polls and more.
• Voting Checklist answers FAQs on voting and the election.
• Poll Worker, Esq connects lawyers with resources needed to serve as election workers.
• Knight Election Law Forum equips journalists with essential, nonpartisan, fact-based knowledge on election law, in partnership with the ABA.
• Defending Democracy Initiative provides your action plan to protect state and local election administrators.
•  ABA Election Administration Guidelines serve as the association’s framework for fair U.S. elections.
• ABA Election Law Policies guide our advocacy.
• Task Force for American Democracy addresses issues central to preserving our democracy, including ensuring trust in U.S. elections and improving civic dialog.
• Standing Committee on Election Law offers detail on these outstanding ABA resources and our many other initiatives."

85% of people worry about online disinformation, global survey finds; The Guardian, November 7, 2023

 Jon Henley, The Guardian; 85% of people worry about online disinformation, global survey finds

"More than 85% of people are worried about the impact of online disinformation and 87% believe it has already harmed their country’s politics, according to a global survey, as the United Nations announced a plan to tackle the phenomenon.

Audrey Azoulay, director general of the UN’s culture body, Unesco, told reporters on Monday that false information and hate speech online – accelerated and amplified by social media platforms – posed “major risks to social cohesion, peace and stability”.

Regulation was urgently needed “to protect access to information … while at the same time protecting freedom of expression and human rights”, Azoulay said as she presented a “governance blueprint” for governments, regulators and platforms."

Judge denies demand for privacy assessment on Trump voter fraud data request; Politico, July 24, 2017

Josh Gerstein, Politico; Judge denies demand for privacy assessment on Trump voter fraud data request

"A federal judge has turned down a watchdog group's demand that President Donald Trump's controversial voter fraud commission be forced to conduct a privacy assessment before gathering data on millions of American voters.

In a 35-page opinion Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly denied a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction the Electronic Privacy Information Center sought against the panel formally known as the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity."