Polling stations in multiple New Jersey counties were temporary shut down after receiving bomb threats via email early Tuesday morning as the New Jersey gubernatorial election commenced, according to New Jersey Attorney-General Matthew Platkin.
Fox News reported that local authorities conducted sweeps of the locations and found no indications of any suspicious materials. New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way said authorities have determined that there are "no credible threats at this time."
Platkin’s office released a statement on X/Twitter, assuring voters that law enforcement in Bergen, Essex, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Passaic counties responded to the threatened locations, secured the scenes, and “ensured the safety of every voter.”
Some poll stations have reopened. Voters who planned to visit polling stations that are still closed “will be directed to a nearby polling station to cast their ballot,” according to Platkin’s office.
"Voters should continue to have confidence that they can cast their ballot without fear of intimidation, and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure a free, fair, and secure election,” the statement continued.
“Make no mistake: We will not tolerate any attempts to interfere with our elections, and we will swiftly hold accountable anyone who seeks to interfere with the safety or security of our electoral process.”
The attorney-general’s statement concluded by urging New Jersey voters to immediately report any suspicious activity to law enforcement by calling local emergency numbers.
Fox reported that more than a million New Jersey residents have already cast their ballots through early voting and mail-in voting. It is unknown how the temporary shutdown of the polls may impact the results of Tuesday’s elections.
Zohran Mamdani weighs in
Fox also reported that New York Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani called the threats “an illustration of the attacks we’re seeing on our democracy,” while addressing reporters on Tuesday. In the video, which was edited by Fox, Mamdani likened the incident to “the general approach the Trump administration has taken to try to intimidate voters with baseless allegations of voter fraud.”
Mamdani’s comments add to growing concern that the bomb threats were an attempt but an unknown perpetrator to influence the results of the New Jersey gubernatorial election.