As the 2024 election approaches, so does the dread and fear of political violence. The specter of political violence has hung over our elections for years. For many, it reminds them of the times when we lived with American apartheid and the fight for civil rights. But since 2016, the threat is all too real. The rise of distrust in the government and the election process, the culture wars and the increase of violent rhetoric fan the flames of political violence. Disinformation is the fuel that continues to ignite incidents of violence.

Currently, the escalation of violence in the culture wars is playing out in Springfield, Ohio. The Trump/Vance campaign advanced false, racist claims regarding Haitian immigrants. Subsequently, the city has been rocked with violent backlash targeting the immigrant community, including threats that closed schools and colleges, canceled events, bomb threats and personal threats on local politicians. The worst part of this false narrative is Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance admitted he was creating the story, essentially telling people that he was willing to spread disinformation to uplift harmful right-wing positions. This false narrative has led to real issues for residents in Springfield while doing nothing to further solutions to actual problems that exist.  

Nevada is not immune to disinformation. Public figures and bad actors have consistently pushed the ongoing narrative that elections are being stolen due to widespread election fraud, which undermines the very fabric of our nation. Despite this narrative being disproven in 2020, violent and fraudulent efforts were made to prevent the election from being certified; examples include Nevada’s fake electors scheme and the Jan. 6 insurgents on Capitol Hill.

Even now, prominent bad actors continually sound the drumbeat of election fraud on social media and in the courts, even though the secretary of state's office provided resolution information regarding every election fraud claim during the 2024 Presidential Preference Primary and the returns audit. These attacks on Nevada’s elections are strategic, designed to create distrust and fuel feelings of political disenfranchisement. They also increase the threats of political violence.

In 2020, the Clark County Election Department was surrounded by threatening, armed crowds yelling “Stop the Steal.” In 2022, there were threats of violence by armed “citizen poll watchers” in Arizona. The purpose of political violence is very clear: It is a strategic action designed to intimidate people from voting. It shifts people away from participating in civic life and democracy. It generates confusion and chaos. Finally, it justifies and normalizes violence. As Nevadans, we should think about why these false narratives are being pushed. 

The Nevada Legislature fought against the threat of political violence with the passage of the Election Worker Protection bill, which creates enhanced penalties for threatening election workers. Our election workers are hard-working Nevadans who believe in protecting our democracy. This law has been attacked in the courts, which threw out the cases because the plaintiffs failed to allege a credible threat of prosecution. In my research and social listening regarding this upcoming election, bad actors have continued their campaign of threats and harassment of election workers.  Nationally, there have been hoax bomb threats and suspicious packages delivered to election offices, showing that violence and threats of violence are still options for those pushing the disinformation of stolen elections during the 2024 election.

As Nevadans, we can still change the tenor of this upcoming election. This isn’t a us or them situation. We are all Nevadans. We all want our state to be a great place to live, work and raise families. This includes people who do not think and look like you do. They are Nevadans and have a right to have their say in the future of our state, just as you do. Because your candidate or cause doesn’t win, it doesn’t mean there is fraud. This means that other Nevadans have differing opinions of what the future of our state should be.  

I encourage all Nevadans to get involved with the election process. Contact your election department or county clerk to be a poll worker. You can also contact Silver State Voices and the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, which spearheads a nonpartisan Election Protection (EP) poll monitoring program. The EP volunteers are trained to monitor elections to ensure fairness, accessibility, and compliance with election laws. For more information, email [email protected]. I served as a poll monitor for three elections. Knowing and understanding the process has made me more confident in the election process than ever.

Lisa Lynn Chapman is a research manager with Battle Born Progress who focuses on monitoring and countering disinformation in Nevada. She holds a juris doctorate from the Boyd School of Law.

The Nevada Independent welcomes informed, cogent rebuttals to opinion pieces such as this. Send them to [email protected].