National Guard Activated for Election Day Support in Multiple States: Pentagon

A National Guardsman stands outside the razor wire fencing that surrounds the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 15, 2021. Liz Lynch/Getty Images

National Guard units have been activated or are on standby in over a dozen states to provide assistance to state and local authorities on Election Day, with a primary focus on logistical support and cybersecurity measures, according to the Pentagon and the National Guard Bureau (NGB). Officials emphasized that the mission aligns with past election operations, but adjustments have been made this year to address specific concerns around election integrity.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has authorized the DC National Guard to support emergency responders in the district from Nov. 5 through Nov. 13, according to Department of Defense (DOD) press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.  The deployment is standard for high-profile events, he said at a Nov. 4 press conference.

“For those of you who have covered the defense beat for a while, you know that it is routine practice for the DOD to authorize the DC National Guard to support or augment security for large-scale events in the district, and activated Guardsmen will remain under the command and control of the DC National Guard,” Ryder said.

While National Guard personnel in the district will work primarily with local emergency services, Guard units in other states will focus on general support and cybersecurity.

According to Ellis Hopkins, NGB’s deputy chief for current operations, National Guard units are deployed strictly in a supporting role and remain under state authority rather than operating as the lead in any election-related activities.

“None of them are in a civil disturbance or civil response mode,” Hopkins said during a Nov. 4 roundtable. “They’re in general support or in supporting cyber networks.”

According to Hopkins, 11 states have activated National Guard units for election support, and 10 additional states could activate personnel in the coming days. The total number of personnel is between 100 and 200, and the number is expected to fluctuate as further activations are considered.

Ryder said that another 600 Guardsmen are on standby and will be activated if needed.

“The National Guard has ongoing and long-standing relationships with local, state, and federal agency partners and has assisted with national special security events like Election Day and Inauguration Day for many years,” Ryder said.

In Washington state, where an incendiary device was recently detonated in a ballot drop box, the National Guard was activated several days ago to support local and state law enforcement in case of unrest.

The special focus on activating Guard service members for what Hopkins described as “supporting cyber networks” comes amid concerns about ongoing foreign influence operations aimed at undermining public confidence in the integrity of U.S. elections.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), FBI, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a joint statement on Nov. 4 warning of foreign influence operations that aim to spread disinformation and sow discord among American voters.

“The IC [Intelligence Community] expects these activities will intensify through election day and in the coming weeks, and that foreign influence narratives will focus on swing states,” the joint statement reads.

The warning that foreign meddling is likely to persist beyond Election Day dovetails with a prior IC assessment indicating that foreign adversaries are stepping up efforts to influence U.S. voters and that these activities are likely to persist through Inauguration Day.

Meanwhile, recent polling shows that the vast majority of Americans are anxious about the presidential election and that they’re at least somewhat concerned about a possible outbreak of election-related violence.