US Election 2020: Federal authorities to erect 'non-scalable' fence around White House

Just a day before the US Presidential Election, the Federal authorities will reportedly erect a 'non-scalable' fence around the White House on November 2, claim reports. The move comes as concerns rise over potential disputes on November 3, the day of the election.

The fence will reportedly go up around the Ellipse and Lafayette Square, on 15th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, as well as 17th Street and on H Street NW, the reports claimed. The fence will be similar to the barrier that was erected along the White House’s perimeters earlier this year amid widespread protests following the George Floyd killing in the police custody in late May.

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A study, released in October, warned that five states including Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, Wisconsin and Oregon were at risk to experience heightened militia activity ahead of the elections and afterward. Meanwhile, another poll released in October from YouGov also observed that most voters expect to see a rise in violence following the elections, including more than half of Republicans and Democrats. Furthermore, the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project and Militia Watch report determined that North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, California and New Mexico were at a moderate risk to see increased active militias during the Presidential election period.

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The US Presidential election has been amplified by the coronavirus pandemic, leading many to cast their votes early this year in record numbers. As many states won't start opening absentee or mail-in ballots until Election Day, it's likely that it could take multiple days to learn the winner, thus putting the country even more on edge while waiting for the result.
 

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Trump promises court fight over Pennsylvania absentee votes

President Donald Trump and his reelection campaign are signaling they will pursue an aggressive legal strategy to try to prevent Pennsylvania from counting mailed ballots that are received in the three days after the election. The matter could find its way to the Supreme Court, especially if those ballots could tip the outcome in the battleground state.

The three-day extension was ordered by Pennsylvania's top court. The Supreme Court refused to block it, but several conservative justices have indicated they could revisit the issue after the election.

Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, a Democrat, already has told local elections officials to keep the late-arriving ballots separate, but also to count them. She acknowledged that a post-election court fight could change that. Trump’s push for legal action comes in the waning days of his campaign as he lags behind Democratic rival Joe Biden. 

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