No extra security planned for Vermont polling places

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(Host) Secretary of State Deb Markowitz says the state of Vermont will not employ any special security measures on Election Day to protect polling places from potential terrorist attacks.

Earlier this week, the Secretary of State of Minnesota, Mary Kiffmeyer, announced plans to place law enforcement officials at all election sites in that state to help guard against a possible terrorist attack. Kiffmeyer says the move was made to reassure voters that it’s safe to vote on November 2.

Markowitz, who serves on a national security and voting task force, says the effort in Minnesota sends a troubling message to voters:

(Markowitz) “When secretaries of state across the country heard of this particular report, the e-mails and the phone lines were buzzing because it sends exactly the wrong message. The whole goal of the meetings that were held between Homeland Security and the elections officials was to make sure that no one mistakenly believed that there was any danger at all in going to vote in America, because indeed there is no danger. Beyond the usual dangers of daily life, there’s no terrorist danger.”

(Host) Markowitz says beefing up security at election sites is unnecessary because Homeland Security officials have not indicated any concerns about terrorist attacks on Election Day.

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