Concrete barriers, high wire fences and armed agents inside: on the eve of the American presidential election, the election center in Phoenix, Arizona, looks like a fortress.
Unthinkable anywhere in the United States a few years ago, these kinds of security measures are becoming commonplace in a crucial swing state that has been the focus of swirling conspiracy theories since Donald Trump lost in 2020.
“What is at stake is very, very important and very serious here, and that is the foundation of this democratic republic, which are our elections,” warned Bill Gates, an election official in Maricopa County, the most populous county in Arizona, which includes state capital Phoenix.
Trump lost Arizona to Joe Biden by less than 10,500 votes in 2020.
Armed demonstrators protested for several nights in front of the county’s election center in the heart of Phoenix as staff tallied the ballots inside.
The Republican nominee still refuses to acknowledge that defeat, fueling suspicion and distrust in the state, where a belief that the poll was rigged is practically an article of faith for some in his party.
In a bid to combat pervasive distrust, Maricopa County election center now has cameras permanently trained on the areas where ballots are stored, with the images broadcast constantly on the internet for anyone to see.
“We have tried to be as transparent as possible,” said Gates, a Republican elected official who resisted pressure from Trump to ignore the results four years ago.
“But then we’re asking for something in return. We’re asking for residents to be good citizens and in particular, for those people who are involved in these elections (who are) not successful, we’re asking them to accept these results, and move on and congratulate the winner.”
– Terrorism –
On the eve of an election where Trump and his opponent Kamala Harris are neck and neck in the polls, and where the Republican is already claiming without evidence that Democrats are “cheating,” the tension is palpable in Arizona.
Last week, a man was charged with terrorism after shooting at a Democratic Party office in Tempe, a suburb of Phoenix. No one was hurt.
Police seized 120 firearms at his home, 250,000 rounds of ammunition and a grenade launcher, an arsenal that prosecutors said shows this retired engineer was preparing a mass-casualty attack.
The man frequented conspiracy sites online, according to local media, and in 2020 repeated the Trump-inspired “Stop the Steal” slogan.
“We are on high alert,” Maricopa County Sheriff Russ Skinner said.
Up to 200 of his officers will be on standby Tuesday and in the coming days, he explained.
The county’s election center will also be monitored by drones during the election, and snipers could be positioned on nearby rooftops if necessary.
– ‘Scary moment’ –
Some election officials have also been given training on self-defense, including how to effectively barricade themselves in a room, or how to use a fire hose to repel invaders.
But the high tensions are not enough to dissuade thousands of temporary workers who will turn out throughout the state to try to ensure that American democracy works on Tuesday.
Jenny Brian, 43, spent her day preparing a polling station that was set to open Tuesday morning.
The 2020 election was “was a scary moment,” she told AFP.
The academic has been helping run Arizona’s polls for around 15 years, and had never seen anything like the last presidential election.
“But it didn’t change my decision” to help out again this time around, she said.
If anything, it stiffened her resolve.
“Concerns about political violence and concerns about voter intimidation show how high-stakes the election is, and show how much people care about it,” said Brian.
“So I do think it’s just really important that we show up without fear, so that we can help them vote, and that we can do our part in making sure the process works smoothly.”
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