Drones, Snipers On Standby To Protect Arizona Vote-Counters

Razor wire thick black iron fencing. Metal detectors. Armed security guards. Bomb sweeps. The security at this center where workers count ballots mirrors what you might see at an airport – or even a prison.

And, if needed, plans are in place to further bolster security to include drones, officers on horseback, and police snipers on rooftops.

Maricopa County became the center of election conspiracy theories during the 2020 presidential contest after Donald Trump spread unfounded claims of voter fraud when he lost the state to Joe Biden by fewer than 11,000 votes.

Falsehoods went viral, armed protesters flooded the building where ballots were being tallied and a flurry of lawsuits and audits aimed to challenge the results, reports the BBC.

The election’s aftermath transformed how officials here handle the typically mundane procedure of counting ballots and ushered in a new era of high security.