Washington Governor Jay Inslee has ordered a portion of the Washington Air National Guard to be on standby to prevent potential disruptions in response to concerns raised by the public and reports of possible unrest or violence on election day. The order, effective from Monday, November 4th, to Thursday, November 7th at midnight, directs the guard to be prepared for any contingencies related to the election.
In a public letter to Major General Gent Welsh, the commander of the Washington Air National Guard, Governor Inslee requested that the guard be ready for any unforeseen circumstances that may arise during the election period. Major General Welsh will determine the number of guard members to be mobilized and may deploy guard support to assist local law enforcement agencies and the Washington State Patrol as needed.
Governor Inslee stated, “In light of general and specific information and concerns about potential violent activity or other unlawful activities during the 2024 election, I want to ensure that we are fully prepared to address any such occurrences.” He emphasized that this measure is necessary to “protect the safety and welfare of Washington state institutions and personnel.”
The governor’s office clarified that the order is primarily aimed at averting potential incidents on election day, while also responding to warnings from the Department of Homeland Security regarding threats to the nation’s election infrastructure. Additionally, two recent incidents of arson at ballot drop boxes in Washington state this week have prompted the governor to take action.
In a recent case in Vancouver, hundreds of ballots were destroyed by fire in a drop box. According to data from the Elections Laboratory at the University of Florida, over 2 million people in Washington state have already cast their votes early.
According to a survey conducted by Scripps News/Ipsos, 62% of Americans believe that there may be violent incidents following the election, with 51% of respondents supporting the use of military forces to prevent unrest.