Security Increased At Oklahoma County Election Board

Following the arrest of two Afghan men living in Oklahoma accused of planning an Election Day terrorism plot, questions have arisen about a recent security upgrade at the Oklahoma County Election Board.

In August, County Commissioners voted to place concrete barriers around the election board building, a move that now seems potentially linked to concerns about the alleged plot.

The men, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, and a teenage accomplice, had been under surveillance by federal and state authorities since the summer, according to an indictment. Law enforcement claims the pair were planning an Election Day attack, prompting increased security measures.

Gov. Kevin Stitt confirmed that law enforcement had been tracking the two suspects for months.

“We’ve been tracking these couple of guys since August,” said Stitt.

That same month County Commissioners also held discussions about enhancing security.

County Facilities Director Keith Monroe raised concerns at a public meeting about potential threats to the election board building. He suggested the installation of barriers to protect the facility.

“You can see there is nothing stopping a vehicle from moving down … and doing damage if they wanted to,” he said.

The barriers were approved despite concerns from neighboring agencies that they might limit access to meetings and events. The free concrete barriers were ultimately placed around the building, with the goal of preventing vehicle-based attacks.

While County Commissioners were not aware of the specific terrorism threat at the time of the vote, Monroe emphasized that the decision was based on general security concerns.

The Oklahoma City Police Department has since undergone additional training regarding election-related threats, and the Oklahoma County Election Board declined to comment on specific security measures.