The Secret Service announced that the counting and certification of electoral votes at the Capitol in January will have increased security measures following the Jan. 6, 2021 riot. The Department of Homeland Security has designated the event as a national special security event, similar to the State of the Union address and the Super Bowl, with the Secret Service overseeing planning. This designation is a first for the certification of electoral votes and aims to prevent a repeat of the chaos that occurred during the last count, when a mob of President Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol.
The Secret Service, in collaboration with federal, state, and local partners, is developing a comprehensive security plan to ensure the safety of the event and its participants. The increased security measures were requested by Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser and will unlock federal, state, and local resources for the event. The Secret Service cited reports from the former House Jan. 6 committee and the Government Accountability Office as reasons for enhanced security measures.
Four people died and around 140 police officers were assaulted during the 2021 attack on the Capitol, which also resulted in about $1.5 million in damage to the building. A panel of representatives from various levels of law enforcement will work on planning for the event in the coming weeks. The increased security measures aim to prevent any violence or disruption during the electoral vote count at the Capitol in January.
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