The Department of Justice has announced that it will monitor polls in 86 jurisdictions throughout 27 states on election day for “compliance with federal voting rights laws.”
The agency’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort.
Republican lawmakers in Missouri and Florida are trying to bar the agency from polling places, accusing them of “overstepping its authority and using its monitors to punish red states that have tightened voter identification laws,” according to a report from the Washington Post.
In a press release, the DOJ said, “Monitors will include personnel from the Civil Rights Division, other department divisions, U.S. Attorney’s Offices and federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management. Throughout Election Day, division personnel will maintain contact with state and local election officials.”
“The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts,” the press release continued.
The press release added, “The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion.”
Jurisdictions being monitored include:
Bethel Census Area, Alaska;
Dillingham Census Area, Alaska;
Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska;
North Slope Borough, Alaska;
Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska;
Apache County, Arizona;
Maricopa County, Arizona;
Pima County, Arizona;
Yuma County, Arizona;
San Joaquin County, California;
Broward County, Florida;
Miami-Dade County, Florida;
Orange County, Florida;
Osceola County, Florida;
Cobb County, Georgia;
DeKalb County, Georgia;
Fulton County, Georgia;
Gwinnett County, Georgia;
Macon-Bibb County, Georgia;
Jefferson County, Kentucky;
Kenton County, Kentucky;
City of Everett, Massachusetts;
City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts;
City of Leominster, Massachusetts;
City of Lowell, Massachusetts;
City of Malden, Massachusetts;
City of Methuen, Massachusetts;
City of Quincy, Massachusetts;
City of Salem, Massachusetts;
Prince George’s County, Maryland;
City of Ann Arbor, Michigan;
City of Detroit, Michigan;
City of Flint, Michigan;
City of Grand Rapids, Michigan;
City of Hamtramck, Michigan;
City of Warren, Michigan;
Hennepin County, Minnesota;
City of Minneapolis, Minnesota;
Ramsey County, Minnesota;
Covington County, Mississippi;
Scott County, Mississippi;
Warren County, Mississippi;
City of St. Louis, Missouri;
Blaine County, Montana;
Alamance County, North Carolina;
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina;
Wake County, North Carolina;
Bergen County, New Jersey;
Middlesex County, New Jersey;
Union County, New Jersey;
Bernalillo County, New Mexico;
Cibola County, New Mexico;
Clark County, Nevada;
Queens, New York;
Cuyahoga County, Ohio;
Portage County, Ohio;
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania;
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania;
Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania;
City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island;
City of Providence, Rhode Island;
City of Woonsocket, Rhode Island;
Charleston County, South Carolina;
Bennett County, South Dakota;
Jackson County, South Dakota;
Minnehaha County, South Dakota;
Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota;
Atascosa County, Texas;
Bexar County, Texas;
Dallas County, Texas;
Frio County, Texas;
Harris County, Texas;
Hays County, Texas;
Palo Pinto County, Texas;
Waller County, Texas;
San Juan County, Utah;
Hanover County, Virginia;
Henrico County, Virginia;
Loudoun County, Virginia;
City of Manassas, Virginia;
City of Manassas Park, Virginia;
Prince William County, Virginia;
Town of Lawrence (Rusk County), Wisconsin;
City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin;
Town of Thornapple, Wisconsin; and
City of Wausau, Wisconsin.
