Battleground state precincts extend hours amid flurry of false threats

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Several battleground states extended the hours of polling sites on Tuesday, citing unexpected wait times, technical issues, and non-credible threats that temporarily halted voting processes at key precincts.

Several states pushed for an extension of voting hours at certain locations that were targeted by false bomb threats earlier in the day. The threats caused minor delays due to emergency evacuations and other sweeps.

None of the threats have been credible, though the FBI said in a statement Tuesday that at least some of the threats appear to have emanated from Russian-based email domains. 

To date, there is no public evidence that the threats are linked to the Russian government. FBI officials said they are investigating the threats alongside state and local authorities. 

Here's a rundown of the battleground states and precincts that were impacted Tuesday:

Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, where state polling locations were scheduled to close at 8 p.m., voters in several counties saw extensions.

In Clearfield County, a county solicitor granted an emergency oral request for special relief after a non-credible bomb threat was called in at the Clearfield County Administrative Building, where votes were being counted. 

Polling hours there were also extended to 9 p.m.

In Luzerne County, local election officials said residents will have until 9:30 p.m. to cast their ballots. Voters in line prior to 8 p.m. will still be able to vote in the county’s regular voting system, state officials said, and voters who get in line after 8 p.m. will be able to vote by provisional ballot.

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On the final day of early voting ahead of the U.S. presidential election, residents wait in line to cast their ballots at the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Office in Largo, Florida, U.S., Nov. 4, 2024.  (Octavio Jones/Reuters)

Earlier Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Department of State announced a two-hour extension of polling hours in Cambria County, citing a "software malfunction" that temporarily delayed the scanning of ballots in the precinct.

Voters in Cambria County will have until 10 p.m. to vote, two hours after the 8 p.m. deadline, though any ballots cast after 8 p.m. must be made using provisional ballots.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro acknowledged the false bomb threats in a press briefing Tuesday night, telling reporters he was aware of "multiple bomb threats" called into polling locations in municipalities across the Keystone State.

"Thus far," Shapiro said, "there is no credible threat to the public." He said the threats are under investigation by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.

North Carolina

In North Carolina, state election officials extended voting hours by 30 minutes in the precincts of Burke County and Wilson County. Voters there will have until 8 p.m. to cast their ballots — longer than the 7:30 p.m. deadline in the rest of the state. 

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A person votes in the 2024 U.S. presidential election on Election Day, at Pittsburgh Manchester School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Nov. 5, 2024. (Quinn Glabicki/Reuters)

Georgia

Georgia also announced an extension for voters in the Atlanta-area precincts of Cobb County, DeKalb County, Fulton County, and Gwinnett County.

The extensions come after two polling sites in Fulton County were evacuated  Tuesday due to several "non-credible" bomb threats, prompting county officials to apply for an application to extend voting hours through 7:30 p.m. 

People stand in line to vote in the 2024 U.S. presidential election on Election Day at a polling station in Galleria at Sunset mall in Henderson, Nevada, U.S., Nov. 5, 2024.  (David Swanson/Reuters)

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In Gwinnett County, officials said voters at a separate polling location that was also the target of a bomb threat will have until 8 p.m. to cast their ballots. 

On Tuesday evening, a judge in DeKalb County granted a request from the Democratic National Committee and Harris campaign to extend the hours at six polling precincts that were disrupted by unfounded hoax threats.

Republican Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger urged calm on Tuesday, telling reporters of the threats: "Georgia is not going to be intimidated."

Arizona

Arizona also experienced delays at four voting sites due to false bomb threats, which Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fonte said pertained to four specific locations in Navajo County. Ultimately, none of the polling places were forced to close as a result of the threats.

"The motive seems to be to ensue chaos and not impact any political outcome," Fontes said, stressing that the threats were "unsubstantiated."

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.