When voters head to Collier County’s 66 polling places Nov. 5, they can rest assured security has been heightened in light of the national political climate.
It might not be obvious to the casual observer, but a team of staff and election volunteers will be watching to ensure no disruptions take place and to quell them if they happen.
“We have met with and are actively in touch with our partners in law enforcement,” said Collier County Elections Supervisor Melissa Blazier’s spokeswoman Trish Robertson. She declined to provide specific details, adding, “But we are in active communication, and they are a part of the response process.”
Casting your ballot
There were no incidents during the 2020 presidential election, Robertson said, but in-person turnout was comparatively low then, due in part to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Turnout has been high, and we expect high turnout to continue overall,” she said, adding that 200 people will work during early voting and 600-700 workers — possibly more — will be at polling places on Election Day.
Early voting ended Nov. 2 with a total of 103,785 casting a ballot between Oct. 21 and Nov. 2; anyone with a vote-by-mail ballot must ensure they will arrive at the elections office by Election Day or deliver them in person by 7 p.m. Nov.5.
Staff and volunteers will ensure that those campaigning outside — and campaign signs — are at least 150 feet away from polling places.
Safe and secure
“We work closely with the Supervisor of Elections and our fellow first responders leading up to every election, and we have comprehensive plans in place for polling place safety,” said Collier County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Karie Partington.
Those plans include Marco Island and Naples Police departments. Naples Police Lt. Brian McGinn, the department’s spokesman, noted his department and the sheriff’s office have a long history of collaborating, and the safety of the electoral process is no different.
“Naples PD and the Collier County Sheriff’s Office have been working closely together to ensure the safety of all throughout this election time — but specifically prior to, during and post-election, we will be staffed and prepared to respond to any eventuality,” McGinn added.
Before polls open on Election Day, bipartisan teams of election workers will verify that all equipment is locked and seal numbers are intact and accurate, according to Blazier. All sensitive election materials and equipment are kept secure until they’re deployed for voting, and strict chain-of-custody rules ensure only authorized staffers have access to machines, equipment and ballots.
Between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., when voting occurs, voting machines, ballots, transport bags and other equipment are kept secure in plain sight, monitored by election workers.
In addition, the federal Department of Homeland Security — through its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency — provides services that state and local election officials use to minimize cybercrimes and physical risks to election systems and facilities. To prevent unauthorized access, elections offices use state-of-the-art hardware and software to monitor and secure networks — and the voting system is not connected to the internet.
The Committee for Safe and Secure Elections, a national nonpartisan organization that provides guidance to election offices on how to handle disruptions and improve security plans, warns that some disruptors will provoke staff, volunteers or voters by taking videos to post because it can be a “significant source of income.”
The Committee recommended a plan that includes being prepared to pacify angry visitors by engaging in a calm and respectful manner; protecting staff, voters and operational integrity; and being transparent with the public by sharing information. All elections procedures are open to the public, which is welcome to watch the Collier County Canvassing Board check provisional, international and uncertain ballots after the elections to certify an official total.
This story was published in The Naples Press on Nov. 1.
