VA officials 'confident' for a safe Election Day
RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - Virginia officials have been looking into a possible al-Qaida threat listing Virginia as one three states of targets for an attack on the eve of Election Day.
"Early this morning I was asked to be briefed by the Virginia State Police on this issue with respect to a potential threat," explained Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran.
Moran says the Commonwealth works closely with federal partners such as the FBI, who first informed state police of the possible terror threat - which also lists Texas and New York as targets.
"Because of our proximity to Washington DC, because there are so many military assets here in the commonwealth, and 9/11, you know Virginia was tragically attacked during 9/11 so ever since that time, we have built up our communication system," said Moran.
Moran says any and all threats are taken seriously, and in this current election season, precautions and safety measures are being taken to ensure voters can cast their ballots without worries.
The Virginia Board of Elections, released the following statement in response to the potential threat:
The Department of Elections continues to work with our local, state, and federal partners to ensure the safety and security of our electoral process, as we have been for months. We remain extremely vigilant for any potential threats to the upcoming election and are working with our law enforcement partners to ensure an appropriate response. Virginia voters should be confident that they will be able to safely cast a ballot on Tuesday and that their votes will be accurately counted.
Virginia State Police, also released a statement:
The state police, through the Virginia Fusion Center and our local, state and federal public safety and homeland security partners, continues to assess any potential threats associated with the election or other major events taking place within the Commonwealth. We have been and will continue to remain vigilant on all fronts to detect and deter any dangers that could impact Virginia.
In addition, the Virginia State Police already has plans in place, in coordination with our local partners, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our communities on Election Day.
Virginia State Police will continue to monitor the situation, but Moran says he is "confident" for a safe Election Day.
"We'll have a safe election on Tuesday," said Secretary Moran. "Folks should get out, enjoy their weekend and vote on Tuesday."
NBC12 asked viewers in the Greater Richmond area if they felt safe voting in this election. Many said it motivates them to vote even more.
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