Local election workers fear threats to their safety as November nears. One group is trying to help

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — The group gathered inside the conference room, mostly women, fell silent as the audio recording began to play.

The male voice, clearly agitated, railed against what he thought had been fraud that cost former President Donald Trump reelection four years ago.

“You’re gonna pay for it,” said the man, filling his message with expletives and suggesting his target’s throat be slashed with a knife. “We will … take you out. Your family, your life.

“Watch your … back.”

The call had been directed at one of their own, a city clerk who had overseen elections in 2020 in suburban Detroit. The former clerk, Tina Barton, played the recording of the call she had received to an audience that included several dozen local election clerks and law enforcement officials who had gathered recently inside an office building conference room in northern Michigan.

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«Election 2024» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Election 2024 </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Biden is marking Earth Day by announcing $7 billion in federal solar power grants </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Kennedy says he loves his family ‘either way’ after relatives endorse Biden’s campaign over his </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Puerto Rico Republicans award Trump all 23 of their delegates </bsp-custom-headline> </bsp-list-loadmore>

“I want you to understand this voicemail is the same type of thing that we’re seeing across the country, and it can find you anywhere you are — small community, large community,