Hoax bomb threats briefly disrupted voting at two polling places in Fulton County, Georgia on Tuesday morning. According to local officials, there are plans to submit a court request to extend the voting time in these locations, AP reports.
Five bomb threats were reported in the morning, prompting the evacuation of Gullatt Elementary and Etris Community Center in Union City, southwest of Atlanta, for about 30 minutes.
Nadine Williams, director of the Fulton County Elections and Registration Center, confirmed that both locations are back up and running and that security has been increased at all polling locations.
Officials have announced that they will seek a court order to extend the hours at those locations so that everyone who wants to have a chance to vote.
The Fulton County School Police Department received information about the bomb threats in the morning, but since the students were not at school due to the election, there was no threat to safety. Precautionary measures were implemented at several locations.
Margaret Huang, president of the Southern Poverty Law Center, praised Fulton County’s quick response and efforts to extend the voting period, stressing the importance of continuing the election process despite the threats.
