The governor of Washington state ordered members of the National Guard to be activated in advance of Tuesday’s elections, citing concerns over public safety.
On Friday, Nov. 1, Gov. Jay Inslee ordered the Washington National Guard to be mobilized and placed on standby ahead of and in the days following the presidential election on Nov. 5.
“Our state depends on these skilled individuals for critical support to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, to include support necessary to protect vital infrastructure related to carrying out free and fair elections and to respond to any unrest related to the 2024 general election,” Inslee wrote in his directive.
The order calls for the National Guard to be activated between Monday, Nov. 4 through Thursday, Nov. 7. Inslee’s order gives Washington adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh, discretion on how many troops to activate and place on standby. The troops will be there to support local law enforcement and protect election infrastructure.
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The decision comes after ballot drop boxes in Washington and neighboring Oregon were set on fire on Oct. 28, leaving hundreds of election ballots damaged or outright destroyed. Inslee specifically cited those incidents as a reason to activate National Guard troops, saying that he wants to “ensure we are fully prepared to respond to any potential additional civil unrest.” He also noted warnings from the Department of Homeland Security, which said that there are ongoing threats against “election infrastructure.”
Washington is not alone in this decision. In Oregon, Gov. Tina Kotek has not activated the National Guard yet, but said she is prepared to, and that units are on standby in case she gives the order. The exact number of troops activated would depend on law enforcement needs, Kotek said. Portland was the site of one of the ballot drop box fires. Although both Oregon and Washington are believed to be solidly blue states, both governors have cited the need to be prepared for unrest and potential election interference.
Last week Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo announced that he would activate a small number of National Guard soldiers for election day in what he called a “precautionary measure.” The troops from the swing state would specifically be active only in Las Vegas and Carson City. 60 members of the Nevada National Guard will be on standby in the two cities, but according to one officer who spoke with local media, they will be at armories, not actively out in the public.
National Guard troops have been activated in multiple states around elections in recent years. Most have been mobilized to help law enforcement with matters such as traffic control, or have been called on to help with potential cybersecurity attacks.