**Millions Head to Polls Amid Non-Credible Threats and Severe Weather**

Tens of millions of American voters turned out on Tuesday to elect the country’s next leaders. Despite a smooth overall voting process, incidents related to bomb threats of Russian origin and adverse weather conditions created challenges in several locations, according to officials.

Polling places in Michigan and Georgia were temporarily disrupted by bomb threats originating from Russian email domains. The FBI confirmed that these threats were non-credible, yet they caused delays as security officials cleared the affected areas. In Union City, Georgia, and a Gwinnett County voting location, brief closures occurred as a result of these menacing alerts.

Additionally, severe weather posed obstacles for voters in parts of the Central United States. Flood watches were in effect for regions in Missouri, Arkansas, and Illinois, affecting around 4 million people. Louisiana faced threats from thunderstorms that could cause damaging winds and tornadoes, while Wisconsin had warnings for potentially hazardous winds. In California, especially around the Bay Area and Sacramento, dry air and gusty winds increased the risk of wildfires.

Minor issues also led to voting delays in Pennsylvania. In Cambria County, a software glitch caused a ballot scanning malfunction, prompting election officials to extend voting time. Similarly, a site in Luzerne County opened late due to delays by election workers but continued operations with an extended voting window.

Despite these disruptions, the majority of voters reported a positive experience. At a Millersville, Pennsylvania polling site, one voter described the process as "quick and easy." This aligns with a Pew Research Center survey indicating that 94% of voters found voting easy in the 2020 election, while only 6% reported difficulties.

Election officials nationwide stressed the integrity and security of the election process, encouraging voters to dismiss any misinformation. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger assured, "Our systems are secure and our people are ready," while Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson warned against falling for misinformation by foreign actors looking to create chaos.

Amid allegations from Donald Trump and other Republicans of a "rigged" election and unfounded claims of mass fraud, election authorities highlighted the importance of maintaining trust and transparency in the electoral process. They reiterated that isolated voting issues should not undermine the overall confidence in the election's legitimacy.

Federal elections in the U.S. involve a decentralized process managed by local jurisdictions. The massive scale of this undertaking ensures the engagement of substantial resources and personnel, as exemplified by the 2020 election's logistics.

The Pew Research Center poll suggested that most voters are somewhat confident that the election will be well-conducted. However, confidence levels diverge significantly between supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris and those of Donald Trump, especially regarding the counting of absentee and mail-in ballots and the clarity of the final results.