On Wednesday, September 11th, the Department of Homeland Security in the United States announced that the certification of the 2024 presidential election has been elevated to a “National Special Security Event.” The announcement stated that on January 6, 2025, when Congress certifies the results of the 2024 election, the U.S. government will enhance security measures to prevent a repeat of the events at the Capitol in 2021.
The Secret Service stated in a press release on Wednesday that the Department of Homeland Security has designated Congress’s certification of the election results as a “National Special Security Event,” allowing federal, state, and local resources to be dedicated specifically to security operations. The Secret Service will be responsible for the security plan.
This designation places the meeting to certify the election results on January 6 on par with major events such as the Super Bowl or the United Nations General Assembly in terms of security status.
The Secret Service stated that this decision was based on recommendations from the investigation report by Congress and oversight agencies following the events at the Capitol in 2021.
“A special security event is an event of the highest national significance,” said Eric Ranaghan, head of the Secret Service’s Dignitary Protective Division, in the announcement of this designation on Wednesday. “The U.S. Secret Service, along with our federal, state, and local partners, is committed to developing and implementing a comprehensive security plan to ensure the safety of this event and its participants.”
Opinion polls show that the Republican presidential candidate and former President Trump, and the Democratic candidate and Vice President Harris are engaged in intense competition, with serious disagreements among voters.
The Secret Service stated in Wednesday’s announcement that this move was in response to a request from Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.
The Secret Service also mentioned that “an official planning process is underway,” and an Executive Steering Committee composed of “senior representatives from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and public safety partners” will convene meetings in the coming weeks.