Contra Costa County hires private security for election sites and polls

Contra Costa County, California, has decided to hire private security for its election buildings ahead of the November 3 election, and the officers will also help patrol its 150 polling places, KALW reported on November 2. Election offices elsewhere are also adding polling place security, from cameras and access control to panic buttons for poll workers, CNN reported.

Key points#

Private security officers will join local law enforcement around the county's election buildings and polling places, KALW reported.
A private security company has taken over election night patrols of the county's election building from sheriff's deputies, Richmond Confidential reported.
County staff and law enforcement trained for bomb threats, swatting, drones and disruptive visitors, the same outlet reported.
Election offices have spent years adding cameras, bullet-resistant glass and tighter access controls, CNN reported.

Why the county added private security#

The county decided to hire private security after armed Department of Homeland Security officers hand-delivered a letter to the county clerk demanding that 407 voter records be overturned within 48 hours, KALW reported. County clerk-recorder-registrar Kristin Connelly told the station she expected "another safe and secure election" for county voters.

Local law enforcement has been in contact with the FBI, and the groups discussed protocols for bomb threats, car rammings and interference with the reception of ballots, the station reported.

What the election building already has#

The county's election building has cameras, an alarm system that covers the whole building and card readers that limit which employees can enter each area, an elections processing supervisor told Richmond Confidential. At least one security guard is on site on election night, and sometimes more, he said.

In early September, election staff and law enforcement held a half-day exercise on bomb threats, swatting, drones and disruptive visitors, and rehearsed how to protect ballots while preserving evidence if a vehicle hits a drop box, the outlet reported.

What other election offices are doing#

Election offices have spent years adding cameras, bullet-resistant glass and tighter access controls, and poll workers in Irwin County, Georgia, are getting panic buttons for Election Day, CNN reported. State and local leaders have also been drilling poll workers and coordinating with local police on how to respond if federal agents arrive at voting sites, the network said.

What it means for your company#

Ask which client sites host voting or ballot work. Schools, churches and county buildings may change roles for a few days.
Write election day rules into the post orders. Name the person in charge of the voting area and who to call, and use post orders that officers acknowledge before the shift.
Brief officers on the client's emergency plan. Cover bomb threats, drones and vehicles near entrances in short site training.
Keep officers out of the voting itself. Their job is the building, the doors and people's safety, while ballots stay with election staff.
Write everything down. Clear incident reports with times and photos help the client answer questions later.
Check the rules first. Election rules on armed or uniformed guards differ by state, so confirm yours with the county elections office or an attorney.

Guardix lets managers assign post orders to chosen officers or everyone at a site and see who has acknowledged them.

Frequently asked questions#

Why did Contra Costa County hire private security for the election?#

The county made the decision after armed Department of Homeland Security officers delivered a letter to the county clerk about voter records, KALW reported. The officers will help patrol election buildings and polling places alongside local law enforcement.

What security steps are election offices taking for Election Day?#

Offices have added cameras, bullet-resistant glass, tighter access controls and, in some places, panic buttons for poll workers, CNN reported. Contra Costa County also trained with law enforcement for bomb threats, swatting and drones, Richmond Confidential reported.

Sources#

KALW: Contra Costa County hires private security for election, November 2, 2026
Richmond Confidential: Contra Costa County election staff set, after training for bomb threats, AI scares and other possible disruptions, November 1, 2026
CNN via KEYT: How officials are preparing for Election Day disruptions, including from Trump, November 2, 2026