Troops may be deployed in Washington to prevent election violence

National Guard members have been kept prepared for deployment in Washington state, following concerns about potential violence surrounding the 2024 election.

Washington State Governor Jay Inslee announced this on Friday. 

His decision comes after incidents earlier this week where ballot boxes were set on fire, including an incendiary attack in Vancouver that destroyed hundreds of ballots.

According to poll data, Republican candidate Donald Trump may be defeated by Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in Washington. 

According to the University of Florida Election Lab, more than two million voters in Washington have already voted in advance.

Donald Trump provoked an angry backlash when he suggested that U.S. armed forces could be deployed against “the enemy within” on Election Day. 

Although such talk of using U.S. troops against political rivals understandably shocked the public, many have worried about the potential for civil unrest on Election Day and its aftermath.