The **2024 U.S. election** has been plagued by **disinformation**, and now bomb threats have further compounded the confusion.
On **Nov. 5**, Election Day, the **FBI** released a brief [statement](https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-statement-on-bomb-threats-to-polling-locations) confirming several bomb threats aimed at polling locations in multiple states. The agency hinted at possible foreign interference, particularly mentioning Russian involvement:
> “The FBI is aware of bomb threats to polling locations in several states, many of which seem to come from Russian email domains. None of the threats have been assessed as credible so far.
> Protecting election integrity is one of the FBI’s top priorities. We will continue our close collaboration with state and local law enforcement to address any threats to our elections and to ensure the safety of our communities as Americans exercise their voting rights.”
### **SEE ALSO:**
[The facts about voting machine security in the 2024 election](https://mashable.com/article/2024-election-voting-machines-election-security)
In recent months, the federal government had already signaled that **Russia** would likely turn to disinformation and other strategies to intervene in the U.S. election. In a **September** address at Columbia Law School, **Matthew G. Olsen**, head of the Justice Department’s national security division, remarked that Russia was actively attempting to sway voter preferences in favor of the former president while compromising the current vice president’s prospects. [Read more](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/12/us/politics/justice-department-election-russia.html).
The **FBI** has encouraged the public to remain alert as Election Day proceeds:
> “As always, we advise the public to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activities to state or local authorities, or submit tips to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or online at [tips.fbi.gov](http://tips.fbi.gov).”
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### **Be wary of early victory declarations.**
While voters are keen for quick results, election specialists warn that official outcomes are **seldom finalized on Election Day**. The tasks of validating, processing, and counting every ballot require time.
Media outlets and candidates might project election outcomes early based on **preliminary figures** and the gap between candidates in critical battleground states. However, this does not imply that all ballots have been counted, particularly in states where mail-in, absentee, or early votes are not processed until Election Day. It is crucial to verify the sources of any early declarations. Discover how reputable organizations, such as the [Associated Press](https://www.ap.org/elections/our-role/how-we-call-races/), establish election winners.
For the most precise and official updates, monitor the election offices in key battleground states:
– [Arizona](https://x.com/AZSecretary)
– [Georgia](https://x.com/georgiagov)
– [Michigan](https://x.com/michsos)
– [Nevada](https://x.com/NVSOS)
– [North Carolina](https://x.com/ncsbe)
– [Pennsylvania](https://x.com/PAStateDept)
– [Wisconsin](https://x.com/WI_Elections)