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Security measures for the upcoming counting and certification of electoral votes at the Capitol in January will be significantly increased, according to a statement from the Secret Service on Wednesday. This will be the first such event since the January 6, 2021, riot.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has designated the January electoral vote count as a national special security event (NSSE), akin to the security provided for the State of the Union address and the Super Bowl. The Secret Service will spearhead the planning efforts.
This is the first time the certification of electoral votes has received the NSSE designation. It’s part of a strategy to prevent a recurrence of the violence that erupted nearly four years ago when supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol, trying to derail the certification of Joe Biden’s election win.
Eric Ranaghan, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Dignitary Protective Division, stated on Wednesday that NSSEs are of the highest national importance. He emphasized the commitment of the Secret Service, alongside federal, state, and local partners, to create and implement a thorough security plan to safeguard the event and all participants.
Traditionally, the NSSE designation has been applied to events such as the Republican and Democratic national conventions, the United Nations General Assembly, and presidential inaugurations.
The Washington Post was the first to report on the new security designation for the January vote count. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser requested the designation, according to the Secret Service. However, the mayor’s office did not respond to requests for comments on Wednesday night.
The Secret Service, operating under the DHS, referenced reports from the former House January 6 committee and the Government Accountability Office that had urged Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to consider enhanced security measures.
With this designation, federal, state, and local resources will be mobilized to enhance security, the Secret Service noted. A panel consisting of various law enforcement representatives is scheduled to convene in the coming weeks to plan the event’s security.
The January 6, 2021, attack resulted in the deaths of four people and injuries to approximately 140 police officers, as per the Justice Department. The riot also caused around $1.5 million in damages to the Capitol building.