Election Day week is here, and there are plenty of implications for the military. Stay tuned to this page for live updates about the election.
The race for president between GOP nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris could mean big changes in military policies.
Dozens of veterans are also vying for seats in the House or Senate, with marquee races that could determine which party controls either chamber. Some of Congress' biggest names in military and veterans policy are also facing tough reelection battles.
US Cyber Command Says Eyes Still on Russia, Iran, China Disinfo on Election Eve
5:07 p.m. Nov. 4, 2024
Russia, China and Iran are still continuing attempts to influence and meddle in the election by pushing online disinformation, U.S. Cyber Command told Military.com on Monday, echoing a public statement last month by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Russians were making and amplifying claims of "illegal activity committed by the Democratic vice presidential candidate during his earlier career," as well as considering methods to incite violence and raise questions about the validity of the U.S. election system, the alert said. It also warned Iran may again meddle in the election and in 2020 it "almost certainly was responsible for the creation of a website containing death threats against U.S. election officials."
"Fair, free and secure elections are the cornerstone of our democracy. Election security is an enduring, no-fail mission for USCYBERCOM and the [National Security Agency]," Capt. Renee Douglas, a spokesperson for U.S. Cyber Command, told Military.com in an emailed statement.
-- Thomas Novelly
Governors in Western US Place National Guard on Standby Ahead of Election Day
2:49 p.m. Nov. 4, 2024
National Guardsmen have been requested by several governors in the western U.S. to be on standby in preparation for Election Day.
Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington state, a Democrat, told the National Guard on Friday to be ready "in the event they are asked to support local law enforcement and the Washington State Patrol during election week," a statement from his office detailed.
Those Guardsmen will be on standby for four days. Additionally, Nevada's Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo’s office issued a statement saying, "60 total members of the National Guard will be activated on standby status and stationed in Nevada National Guard facilities in both Carson City and Las Vegas."
Meanwhile, Gov. Tina Kotek of Oregon, a Democrat, told the Oregon Capital Chronicle news outlet that attempts to intimidate voters are "un-American and will not be tolerated," and that her state's National Guard is also standing ready.
Read more about National Guard standbys here.
-- Thomas Novelly
Smaller But More Diverse Pool of Veterans Running for Congress
12:29 p.m. Nov. 4, 2024
At least 189 veterans are running for Congress this year in the two major parties, according to a tally by Military.com.
That's a smaller number than in the midterm elections two years ago. But experts who spoke to Military.com said a larger percentage of this year's congressional veteran candidates identify as minorities, a development that comes as the military's diversity efforts are the center of an increasingly bitter political debate.
Experts and advocates who track veterans running for Congress maintain that having people in office with military experience allows for the possibility of bridging partisan divides at a time of growing political rancor. While veterans aren't immune to partisanship, advocates argue that having shared military experiences and histories of serving the country provide bonding opportunities for lawmakers with different political views.
Read more about all the veterans running for Congress here.
-- Rebecca Kheel
