Pennsylvania authorities are investigating after an explosive device detonated roughly half a block from a polling location during Tuesday’s primary election, adding to ongoing concerns about threats and disruptions surrounding American elections.
The Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement Tuesday that no injuries were reported and voting at the nearby polling location continued uninterrupted. Officials also stressed that investigators currently have “no information” suggesting the incident was connected to the polling site itself.
Police said the device was thrown from a moving vehicle in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, at approximately 9:15 a.m. Tuesday — just over two hours after polls opened across the state.
Local resident Kelsey Allen told Fox 29 that the device exploded beneath her vehicle while she was driving through the area.
“Right as I turned left, whatever the explosive was, it goes off, goes all over the front of my car,” Allen said. “And I’m so glad I had my window up because it was literally right there.”
Allen was not injured, and her vehicle reportedly suffered no damage.
Authorities had not announced any arrests as of Tuesday. Police secured the surrounding area following the incident while investigators worked to determine what caused the explosion and who was responsible.
Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel described the episode as an “isolated incident from everything we can determine,” according to local reports.
The polling location was operating inside Salem United Church of Christ in Catasauqua, a small borough outside Allentown in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District.
Even though voting remained open, local election officials said road closures around the scene appeared to affect turnout.
“Prior to all of this happening, we were getting a steady stream of people in,” Catasauqua Judge of Election Louis Draxler said. “Since this has occurred, and the streets are all blocked off, we’re getting very few people coming in.”
The explosion comes amid continued concerns over threats targeting election infrastructure nationwide. Election officials across the country have dealt with bomb threats, intimidation incidents, and security scares in recent election cycles.
The Brennan Center for Justice previously reported that at least 227 bomb threats targeted voting centers during the 2024 election cycle, including incidents in Pennsylvania.
No evidence has emerged of a coordinated wave of threats during this week’s Pennsylvania primary. However, election officials nationwide have spent recent years preparing for disruptions after hundreds of bomb threats and security incidents targeted voting sites in previous election cycles.
During the 2024 election, hundreds of bomb threats targeted polling sites and election facilities nationwide, including locations in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, and other swing states. Many were ultimately deemed non-credible but still caused evacuations, delays, or extended voting hours.
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