With the election just days away, American fears and concerns are quickly rising around election and post-election violence.
In fact, a recent poll in one state shows that 9 out of 10 voters are nervous that others wouldn’t settle for the result + 44% believe violence is very possible, an indication the election violence fears are extensive.
One thing is sure that either Presidential candidate winning, there will be some objections from the losing side.
So what can we expect?
Protests
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In a contested election, we anticipate protests from both sides of the political aisle on a larger scale than seen prior to the elections.
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The sentiment of either side illegitimately winning the election will inevitably result in political violence.
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These protests can be anticipated in larger urban areas and major metropolitan areas as well as landmark locations that would preclude normal operation, such as protesting on the Golden Gate Bridge.
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Important to note that COVID precautions will more than likely be ignored, as priority is paid to public demonstration of political support
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Additionally, police force will inevitably be stretched thin and already operating “on thin ice” as a result of ongoing “defund the police” movements.
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Both sides of the “defund the police” will use the protests as validation for their cause.
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Worst case scenario: blooming domestic terrorists utilize the opportunity to “blend into the noise” and practice/implement more violent TTPs during the protests to invoke more outrage, such as homemade explosives
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Ultimately, due to the inevitable delay with counting mail in ballots and the already near-boiling-point of nation divisiveness, post-election day protests are inevitable.
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Security Expert Roderick Jones, Founder of Concentric Advisors, a privately held security firm on the west coast, recommends planning for *when* they happen (November 3rd until at least December 8th, potentially even January 21st), rather than *if*.
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(A multi-agency city seminar took place in Chicago to prepare for whatever happens after the November election. Courtesy of WGN News and YouTube. Posted on Oct 15, 2020.)
Corporate Culture – Duty of Care
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Recommend employers prioritize psychological and counseling support especially during/post election cycle, as the emotional reaction to either outcome will inevitably be more extreme as a result of it being on the culmination of a stressful year.
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Concentric also advises leaders encourage their employee’s to utilize their right to vote and also present an inclusive/cohesive environment for post-Election conversation.
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Companies need not back a certain candidate, but can still provide acknowledgement and support during the contentious election.
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Lastly, Mr. Jones recommends employers conduct an internal crisis action plan for the elections to include a communication structure, an indications and warning mechanism, and contingency plans.
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We may not know the election results for some time to come as a result of changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we hope the American people will be able to rise to the occasion and demonstrate patience during this difficult time.
Also we encourage everyone to seek election and voting information from reliable sources, including official state and county elections officials.
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- Provides named sources
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