On October 16, 2024, Chris McLaughlin, Senior Solutions Engineer for Veoci, presented on how working with a collaborative virtual platform allows teams to optimize their critical event management and ensures that vital processes run smoothly. With extensive experience in emergency management and law enforcement, Chris provided an in-depth overview of the key stakeholders, threats, processes, as well as the many challenges and considerations involved in ensuring safe and secure elections.
McLaughlin provided some background information, highlighting the sheer scale and complexity of election day operations by noting that there were approximately 120,000 polling places nationwide in the last presidential election. He acknowledged the significant challenge of managing the safety and security protocols at these public facilities, while also respecting the public’s exercise of First Amendment rights.
The presentation then delved into the threat landscape, referencing callouts from the latest homeland threat assessment such as: persistent risks posed by homegrown violent extremists, domestic extremists, and nation-state actors, who may target election infrastructure, personnel, and the electoral process itself. The convergence of these threats, ranging from cyber attacks to physical violence, underscores the need for comprehensive planning and coordination.
To address these challenges, McLaughlin showcased the capabilities of the Veoci platform, demonstrating how it can be leveraged to automate and digitize various aspects of election management. This included the management of public assembly permits, the mapping of critical infrastructure like polling places and ballot drop boxes, and the coordination of public information and rumor control efforts.
Overall, the meeting provided a comprehensive overview of the critical event management considerations for election day, underscoring the crucial role that technology and effective coordination can play in enhancing preparedness and response to safeguard the democratic process.
