Identical Bomb Threats Disrupt Election Day in Maricopa and Pima Counties

On Election Day, bomb threats targeting multiple counties in Arizona raised alarms but were ultimately deemed non-credible by officials. Public records reveal that both Maricopa and Pima counties received threats containing identical language, a detail that has raised concerns about coordinated efforts.

According to Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, of the state’s 15 counties, ten were affected by these threats. Despite the tensions, officials emphasized that the threats did not pose an immediate danger to voters, allowing most polling places to operate without significant disruption. Nonetheless, some locations, including the Superior Court building in Maricopa County, required evacuations.

Specifically, Recorder Stephen Richer can be seen evacuating his office amid concerns following one of the threats. Other counties, such as Cochise, La Paz, and Maricopa, also enacted evacuations, although many areas remained unscathed. The counties that reported threats included Cochise, Coconino, Gila, La Paz, Maricopa, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Yavapai, and Yuma.

Threats sent to Maricopa County echoed the language of those sent to Pima County, both labeled under the subject “My manifesto” and originating from suspicious email accounts. One email, from an account named “maga_alex,” claimed a bomb would detonate remotely when police gathered in response.

Maricopa County spokesman Fields Moseley assured that county security measures were robust enough to thwart potential email threats. He stated, “Maricopa County employs multiple intrusion prevention and detection security controls across all technology layers including email.” This approach, combined with ongoing training, ensured the email was identified and handled efficiently.

While the investigation continues, further details have emerged regarding the origins of these threats. The FBI indicated that the emails appeared to originate from Russian domains, but all were classified as non-credible. The agency’s earlier statements have not been updated, as they continue to monitor the situation.

Email domains involved belong to privacy-focused companies, Mailum and CyberFear, which offer encrypted email services. The connection between the two raises questions, particularly as one redirects users to the other during registration.

Though Arizona faced these unsettling threats, other states experienced even higher numbers of incidents. For instance, Georgia reported over 60 bomb threats on the same day, predominantly targeting Democratic strongholds. Nevertheless, the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office confirmed that despite the threats, the broader electoral process proceeded smoothly.