Officials in multiple local counties reportedly investigated alleged bomb threats to their respective courthouses, impacting the ballot tabulation process, Tuesday evening.
Authorities in both Centre, Blair, Cameron and Clearfield counties confirmed evacuations and brief disruptions of the ballot counting process.
Centre County officials said the Willowbank Building was temporarily evacuated and employees have since returned to the courthouse.
In Clearfield County, commissioners say the courthouse was evacuated and vote tabulation has been moved to the Presbyterian church.
A judge has also granted an emergency order allowing mail-in ballots in Clearfield and Centre counties to be accepted until 9 p.m.
Blair County elections officials confirmed receiving a bomb threat before 7 p.m., but reported that the building has been cleared by the Sheriff’s office K-9 unit and “canvassing was able to resume.”
We spoke with Pete Weeks, district attorney of Blair County, who said that elections officials are committed to election integrity.
“Everyone should be aware that officials in Blair County are taking all the precautions and measures to make sure all the votes are counted, and they are counted accurately and as quickly as possible,” Weeks aid. “Certainly we’re taking all safeguards necessary to ensure that happens.”
The Cameron County Courthouse was also evacuated after authorities received a bomb threat Tuesday evening. Pennsylvania State Police later reported the threat was not deemed credible.
We are also working to confirm a report of an alleged threat in Elk County.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro also addressed the alleged threats and released the following statement:
“We’ve also been made aware that in the course of the last hour, multiple bomb threats have been called in to polling and municipal sites across Pennsylvania.
My team and I have been in direct communications with Pennsylvania State Police Colonel Christopher Paris who is coordinating with local and federal law enforcement, as well as PEMA.
State and local law enforcement along with the FBI are investigating these threats and thus far, there is no credible threat to the public.”