BRIGHTON, Colorado ‒ Bulletproof glass. Security cameras. Panic buttons. As the elected county clerk and recorder in a suburb of Denver, Josh Zygielbaum's days are normally filled with marriages, vehicle licensing and house-sale registrations.

From bulletproof glass to panic buttons, jurisdictions across the U.S. are taking unprecedented steps to protect election workers and ballots amid concerns about voter intimidation, fraud and even violence at the polls.

Local election directors are beefing up security in advance of Election Day to keep workers and polling places safe while also ensuring that ballots and voting procedures aren’t tampered with. Their concern isn’t just theoretical.