Opinion: America can’t tolerate any form of election intimidation

Utah is not a battleground state in the upcoming election. Yet, despite this, the FBI last week intercepted a threatening letter intended for Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson’s staff office.

The letter contained a white powder that, as of this writing, had yet to be identified. It was signed, “United States Traitor Elimination Army.”

If this kind of despicable behavior is directed toward Utah, where election controversies have been rare, it could be an ominous foreshadowing of what might happen nationwide in November.

Americans must be clear about one thing. No degree of election tampering or intimidation will be tolerated this November.

Utah lawmakers, and lawmakers in all 50 states, may need to consider funneling more money toward protections for election clerks and the many staff members and volunteers who are needed to collect, verify and conduct accurate counts of votes.

We can conjure few threats more dangerous to democracy than a direct attack on the nation’s election system — an ingenious system that’s wisely fragmented over 3,234 separate counties or equivalents. This system has served the nation well, despite false allegations that the 2020 election was somehow rigged or stolen — allegations that lack evidence .

Americans can’t allow lies to destroy their democracy, but neither can they afford to ignore signals that some people may be willing to use violence to affect outcomes. The letter intended for Henderson’s office is a sad and disturbing confirmation of this.

A University of Chicago survey in June found that 6.9% of Americans, or 18 million people, believe the use of force is justified to restore Donald Trump to the presidency, while 10%, or 26 million people, believe force is justified to keep him out of office.

While those percentages are small, the millions of people it represents could create great chaos or harm. The survey also found many millions more who said they were ambivalent about the use of force.

Even if, as we hope, no one acts on these threats, they could create an atmosphere of intimidation and distrust that mars the nation’s election system. There is plenty to suggest this already is happening.

In Utah, 17 of 29 counties have new county clerks since 2020. State Director of Elections Ryan Cowley told a legislative committee earlier this year that this includes three counties that have had three separate clerks during that time, making for a total turnover of 20 clerks, in all, according to KSL.

Intimidation has been a factor, Cowley said. “We’ve had employees (and clerks) … followed home … things that have been said to them,” he said.

This is certainly not unique to Utah.

In Georgia, sheriff’s deputies are on hand at early voting venues. Officials have installed panic buttons for poll managers to press to provide instant access to a 911 dispatcher, according to The Associated Press.

The Deseret News reported that, as of mid-July, the Utah Statewide Information and Analysis Center had recorded 73 threat incidents toward Utah elected officials in 2024. That’s up from 49 recorded in all of 2023.

Threats against members of Congress nationwide jumped from 900 in 2016 to 9,600 in 2021, following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, per reports.

Threats against federal judges went from 179 in 2019 to 457 in 2023, and more than 40% of state legislators nationwide have experienced direct threats over the past three years. Two recent assassination attempts against former President Trump have only added to the tensions.

While thanking law-enforcement for intercepting the letter intended for her office, Henderson said, “This incident is the latest tactic in a nationwide trend of threats and intimidation toward election officials. But we will not be intimidated.”

We admire that attitude. All Americans should react similarly.

While all governments in the United States should, as always, be on the lookout for legitimate election fraud, either from inside the election system or from outside threats, there is no place for violence or intimidation of any kind.

Americans have a long history of accepting election outcomes, regardless of whether their candidate wins. Anyone who harasses, intimidates, threatens violence or carries it out in any form against anyone associated with the election in November is no patriot. And lawmakers, law-enforcement and election managers should do all in their power to protect an election system that has long been a bulwark in the American democratic system.