Many people vote in places like schools or government buildings, locations where most states ban concealed carry. But many elections are also held in private locations like churches or stores, where gun possession is up to the owner’s discretion. Only 12 states bar people from carrying guns in all places of worship.
Though the law varies by state, gun owners have been known to carry their weapons to the polls in past elections. In Georgia, where the law explicitly prevents guns from being carried within 150 feet of any election location, some counties decided in 2014 to allow them anyway.
Alabama was another state that allowed voters in some counties to carry firearms to the polls in 2014. As the New York Times reported before that election, the Alabama Sheriffs Association, “fearing that an open display of weapons might frighten some voters, urged the state’s 67 counties to ban unconcealed firearms from polling places.” The effort failed, and the attorney general reiterated that polling places are not included in the list of banned firearm locations in Alabama.
Several counties still insisted on a ban, including Shelby County, whose sheriff said that he would ban open-carry at polling places in his county unless he was otherwise directed.
Fears may be compounded this year given Trump’s presence on the ballot. Throughout his campaign, Trump has made comments that could incite radicals to commit violent acts. While Trump may not be specifically instructing people to act violently, extremists and right-wing terrorists could be encouraged by his rhetoric that appears to normalize that type of activity.