On Tuesday, October 27, the Mayor’s Office held a situational update webinar on election preparedness. They shared that MPD and the District’s Homeland Security Office are currently unaware of any specific threat of unrest, but are closely monitoring social media and national events so that they can quickly respond to any threats that arise.  Consider organizing a plan to secure your business including:

  • looking at your insurance policy;
  • not leaving cash in cash registers or items in the window;
  • deciding what your employees should do and where they should go in the event of an emergency; and
  • scanning the outside of your business for possible problems such as windows and items that could be used to break them.

You can also check out the DC’s “First Amendment Demonstration Resource Guide for Businesses.”

Frequently Asked Questions:

DO BUSINESSES NEED TO BOARD UP THEIR STOREFRONTS? DC’s Business Emergency Management Operations Center (BEMOC) does not advise boarding up your businesses at this time – but they do advise preparedness. We encourage you to review their Election Resource Guide for businesses at: https://ready.dc.gov/business.

Another helpful resource is the Civil Unrest And The 2020 Election Season Preparedness Guide by Building Owners and Managers Association International (BOMA).

HOW CAN I RECEIVE REAL-TIME INFORMATION AND ALERTS AS ANY EVENTS UNFOLD, OR CONCERNS ARISE? You can sign up for the AlertDC text alert system, which provides citywide advisories and updates. Sign up at https://ready.dc.gov/aware.

WHAT ELSE CAN BUSINESSES DO TO PREPARE? In an abundance of caution, we recommend securing all outdoor equipment or bringing items indoors on election night.

HOW SHOULD I REPORT DAMAGE OR SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY? Report any suspicious activity and behavior to the police. You can text 50411 to leave an anonymous tip, or call 911. Report damage in public space by either calling 311 or submitting a report through the 311 app (and email your Main Street Manager so we can follow up.) Report other building damage to DCRA at dcra@dc.gov.