Terror training covers voting
"Elections nowadays are much different than they used to be, unfortunately," Deputy Utah Elections Director Rozan Mitchell told officials last week during the session about polling place security. "We hope we don't have a crisis on Election Day . . . but we need to be prepared."
Utah has no law allowing a delay in the vote if a terrorist attack were to end the election prematurely.
However, State Elections Director Amy Naccarato says officials could work with the governor and the courts on a remedy.
"We're making all these plans, and we hope we never have to use them," Naccarato said.
Federal officials have warned of possible attacks around or on the Nov. 2 election after terrorists bombed a train in March just a few days before Spain's elections.
"We may not be hit here, but we could get the fallout of a terrorist attack," Mitchell said.
A bomb threat four years ago forced Salt Lake County officials to stand helplessly outside the County Government Center while phones rang unanswered inside. Clerk Sherrie Swensen now has an alternative site for a main election office, though she's keeping that location a secret.
"We don't want to freak your judges out," Mitchell said. "But at the same time, they need to be aware."
Election judges are being taught that if a polling place has to be evacuated, they should grab the ballot box and official register on their way out. Any ballots not yet completed are void.
Officials also want election chiefs to work with law enforcement and stay in contact with them on Election Day.
An attack or even threat of an attack could delay vote tallies to the next day or longer.
If counting machines can't be reached in Salt Lake County, for example, Swensen says she would try to make arrangements with a neighboring county, but that county may have its own votes yet to count.
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