Florida Election Results Expected Tuesday Night, Secretary of State Says
As of Monday, 8.3 million Floridians had already cast their ballots through early voting and mail-in voting, according to Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd.
Byrd reported that over 560,000 people had voted by Tuesday morning alone. During a briefing earlier today, Byrd confirmed that all 67 election supervisors across the state were reporting normal activity, with no issues at polling stations. All polling locations remain open, and voting will continue until 7:00 p.m. ET.
Byrd reassured voters that Florida’s election results would be available "by the time you go to bed tonight."
He also addressed concerns over a recent incident in Miami-Dade County, where a box and bag containing early voting ballots were found on the road. Byrd explained that the ballots fell out of the back of a truck due to an accidental error, but the individual responsible was immediately terminated. “We have a zero-tolerance policy to ensure the integrity of our elections,” Byrd emphasized. "It was handled quickly, and security measures were in place."
Regarding another issue, Byrd commented on the arrest of an 18-year-old near Jacksonville, who was detained for brandishing a machete outside an early voting site. "There will always be a few troublemakers, but law enforcement in Neptune Beach quickly resolved that situation," Byrd said.
Voter Guide: Have Questions About Voting?
If you’re unsure about voter registration, identification requirements, or mail-in ballots, personalized Voter Guide has answers to help you navigate Election Day.
**Election Day Voter Registration for the 2024 Presidential Election**
As of November 5, Election Day, 23 states and the District of Columbia offer voters the opportunity to register to vote on-site.
U.S. Cybersecurity Agency Reports No Major Incidents Affecting Election Infrastructure Security
As voters head to the polls across the United States, extreme weather and other temporary disruptions to infrastructure have been reported in certain areas. However, there have been no "national-level significant incidents" affecting the security of election infrastructure, according to a senior official at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
Cait Conley, a senior adviser at CISA, stated Tuesday morning that while the agency is monitoring instances of extreme weather and infrastructure interruptions in some parts of the country, these events are largely expected and part of routine planning.
"We are tracking instances of extreme weather and other temporary infrastructure disruptions, but these are expected, planned-for events," Conley said, though she declined to provide specific details on where the disruptions had occurred.
earlier reported that some key battleground states are being affected by a cold front bringing heavy rainfall and severe storms. Wisconsin appears to be facing the worst weather of seven battleground states, with the Storm Prediction Center issuing a level 1 (out of 5) severe storm threat for much of the state.
FBI Disputes Claims of "Remote Voting" and Prison Voting Manipulation
The FBI has refuted claims circulating online about terrorist threats at polling sites and reports of voting in prisons, calling them "fabricated" and "inauthentic."
In a statement Tuesday, the FBI clarified that two videos circulating on social media falsely depicted the agency as issuing a warning about a high terror threat at polling stations and urged Americans to "vote remotely." The video, which the FBI called a fabrication, did not reflect the agency's current assessment of election security.
Additionally, the FBI debunked a separate video alleging that five prisons in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Arizona had rigged inmate voting and colluded with a political party. This video, which falsely appeared to feature an FBI press release, was also labeled "not authentic" by the FBI.
The false claims in the prison voting video were traced to a disinformation campaign linked to the Russian group Doppelganger, which uses misleading videos and manipulated media to spread false narratives. According to Darren Linvill, a disinformation expert at Clemson University, Doppelganger employs bot networks to push low-quality content, though it typically garners limited engagement.
The FBI has not identified the perpetrators behind these videos.
Voter in Pennsylvania's Lancaster County Predicts Close Race
A voter in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, who cast her ballot for former President Donald Trump, shared her thoughts on the presidential race, predicting a tight contest. Speaking with Danny Freeman, she described her voting experience as "quick and easy" and explained that she voted for Trump primarily due to his economic policies and stance on immigration.
"The economy more than anything," she said. "I think it’s going to be pretty close in this county."
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