LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said Wednesday there were no major disturbances at polling locations on Election Day. As the election continues across the country, the police department's Deployment Command Center is still up and running.
Authorities say they understand that all eyes are on Nevada and once the results come in, there could be issues from groups that are not happy with the results.
"All of the evidence whether it's in quotes or otherwise has shown that our state has conducted a fair, safe and secure election," said Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford.
While Nevada election officials continue to count mail-in ballots, Attorney General Ford said he looks to the way military members have successfully used the absentee voting process for decades.
"You look to that as evidence of the fact that this is something that can be done. I don't give any credence to the contention that there's baked in fraud associated with the mail-in ballot process," he said.
Former Vice President Joe Biden is currently leading in a tightly-contested race for president.
And President Donald Trump has tweeted repeatedly suggesting that states counting mail-in ballots equates to election fraud and claiming victory in states that remain too close to call.
"Make no mistake about it, words matter and when they come from on high, they can lead to problems," Ford said.
Ford also said fortunately his office along with the LVMPD and other state and federal law enforcement partners continue to work together to monitor and thwart any potential violence.
Ed Andrews is a former journalist and co-author of a recent report on right-wing militia movements in Nevada. He said that of the nationally known extremist groups that have gotten entangled in violent incidents across the country, all are visible and active in Nevada.
"We know that the Proud Boys, the Three Percenters, the Patriot Front, these folks have all shown up at rallies recently," Andrews said.
In Las Vegas alone, three men connected to the Boogaloo movement were arrested in June on domestic-terrorism related charges. Authorities said they were conspiring to spark violence during a Black Lives Matter protest.
Andrews said these groups may be a small minority of the population but they are here and they are real.
"These may be fringe groups but they are not insignificant and they have the potential to cause a great deal of havoc and trouble," Andrews said.
Attorney General Ford said he's confident that if someone tries to cross a line and potentially cause havoc, there will be law enforcement there to protect the citizens of Nevada.
