In the days since federal MP Helen Haines was seriously injured in an alleged attack outside her Wangaratta electorate office, Victorians have witnessed a threat to a sitting cabinet member and the alleged assault of a Liberal candidate's husband.
While the circumstances surrounding the incidents are still coming into view, they have added to fears public officials are facing new risks to their safety, including in the lead up to the November 28 state election.
But the man responsible for overseeing the election has insisted Victorians need not fear for their safety when casting votes.
"No one wants to see any kind of intimidation, or worse, when it comes to our democracy," Victorian Electoral Commissioner Sven Bluemmel told AAP.
"(But) in the vast majority of cases, people behave really well."
The recent incidents have not triggered any changes to the commission's election safety plan, but security measures may be adapted based on risk.
"Certainly in the last week we've taken into account the very concerning events that happened in Wangaratta," Mr Bluemmel said.
The commissioner said he was confident the state's democracy, and its familiar comforts, would not be marred by the recent violence.
"People get their democracy sausage or go to the local bake sale at the school," he said.
"That's ... how we do democracy in Australia, and that's how I think we need to keep doing democracy."
The husband of Amanda Dow, the state Liberal candidate for the outer-suburban seat of Yan Yean, was hospitalised on Sunday afternoon.
He was allegedly assaulted in Melbourne's northeast after approaching a man who was removing a campaign sign, a party spokesperson said.
Police have since charged a 59-year-old man with recklessly causing injury, criminal damage and unlawful assault.
He was granted bail and is due to appear at Heidelberg Magistrates Court on February 1.
Less than a week earlier, Dr Haines was hit by a car in Wangaratta, in the state's northeast, in what police allege was a targeted attack.
The member for Indi remained in serious but stable condition on Tuesday after having both her legs amputated.
On Saturday, Victorian Emergency Services Minister Paul Edbrooke found a bullet lying on the bonnet of his car, inscribed with his former firefighter ID number and the word "rat".
Threats against political leaders are on the rise nationally but Victoria appears to be the worst affected, political violence expert Josh Roose said.
While the state election had raised the political temperature, the grievances driving that shift are years in the making, the Deakin University associate professor said.
"There's a lot of trauma out there from two years of lockdowns and continued failure to recover financially," he said.
The muted response to the alleged threat against Mr Edbrooke suggests the public was at risk of accepting a new normal.
"That should be evoking, by itself, national headlines," Dr Roose said.
"People now feel deeply emboldened to carry out such acts in a way that historically hasn't been the case here in Australia."
Political leaders needed to shape discourse in a way that does not fan the flames of division, Dr Roose said.
Premier Ben Carroll and Opposition Leader Jess Wilson on Tuesday condemned the alleged assault of Ms Dow's husband.
Volunteers and candidates of all stripes should feel "safe and secure" leading up to the November 28 poll, Mr Carroll told reporters in Melbourne.
It was the responsibility of all political leaders to lower the political temperature in Victoria, Ms Wilson said.
"But that's not just through our words, that is through our actions," she said.
Victorian Labor, seeking a historic fourth term in office, trails the Liberal-National coalition by 10 points on a two-party preferred basis, according to the latest Newspoll.
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