State officials say they are preparing to “expect the unexpected” ahead of the Nov. 5 election and deal with many possible situations, from power outages to civil unrest.

Already, town clerks across the state have reported “a handful” of “really negative interactions” with people who appeared unsettled by something they saw on social media or a report they heard from other parts of the country. country,” said Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas. Hanzas held a pre-election news conference with Gov. Phil Scott at the Secretary of State’s office in Montpelier on Tuesday.

Scott said the election system in Vermont is secure and his administration is ensuring the voting process is protected.

“It is critical that we do our part to strengthen our democracy, treat each other with respect, and eliminate the polarization that we see across the country and, unfortunately, even here in Vermont,” Scott said.

Hanzas said that approximately 6 to 10 such incidents had occurred recently, but “not every incident is something that warrants being brought to the Minister’s attention” so more may have occurred that he was not aware of.

“It is critical to keep all of our election workers safe, from the election team in the Secretary of State’s office to your town and city clerks, to your poll workers, to your civil authority boards,” he said. “We’re fortunate in Vermont to have a little less aggression than some parts of this country, but we’re not immune from it.”

Polls opened in Oregon and Washington this week. subject of conspiracy theories This incident, which was set on fire in recent years, led to an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Scott said he is in constant communication with Hanzas’ office “to make sure we have a fair, safe and peaceful election,” especially given the divisive rhetoric nationally.

While Scott said there will be no increased police presence at polling places, “local law enforcement will be very knowledgeable of what’s going on that day and will respond appropriately.”

Hanzas said his office is preparing for the election by implementing “de-escalation tactics” with town clerks and using available resources to conduct “physical security assessments.”

“Everyone is thinking carefully about the best way to preserve the democratic process between now and November,” he said.

As of Tuesday, nearly 150,000 voters had submitted their ballots by mail. Hanzas said those planning to vote early should either leave their ballots in the ballot box or deliver them in person to the county clerk.

Voters can check to see if their mail-in ballot has arrived at their county clerk’s office and see other voting-related information at mvp.vermont.gov.

“One of the core responsibilities of civic duty is to vote, whether in local elections or, more importantly, national elections,” Scott said.

Asked by a reporter how Scott plans to vote in the presidential election, the governor said he will not vote for former president Donald Trump, but as to whether he will vote for Kamala Harris or a third-party candidate, he has not yet decided.