Justice Department Launches Election Monitoring Drive as Counties Raise Alarm
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The DOJ has begun warning counties in several states that it plans to send observers for the November election, fueling concerns among local officials about why these communities were singled out and what the monitoring is really meant to achieve.
The U.S. Department of Justice started sending notifications to counties in Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Texas and Washington this week, signaling that federal observers will be present on Election Day. The list of jurisdictions appears to be expanding in real time, adding to worries that the process is being assembled with little transparency.
Harmeet Dhillon, head of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, said the agency intends to deploy about 1,000 observers nationwide, describing it as the largest monitoring effort in its history. A DOJ spokesperson, Kiersten Pels, said details about which jurisdictions will be monitored will be released closer to the election, leaving local officials with few answers in the meantime.
Under the previous administration, the department observed 64 jurisdictions in 24 states during the 2022 midterm elections. This year, officials in several states say they were not notified at the same time as the counties, creating uncertainty about how broad the monitoring effort will be and what standards are being used.
Adams County, Colorado clerk Josh Zygielbaum expressed concern that the DOJ’s selection of his county, which lies in a competitive congressional district, might be politically motivated. He noted that the county is covered by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, which requires language assistance for voters, while neighboring Weld County is not. Pels said the department prioritizes locations with competitive races and those covered by Section 203, a justification that has done little to ease skepticism.
State officials are reviewing the DOJ’s requests. Colorado Secretary of State office spokesperson Jack Todd said the state is considering the notifications in coordination with the Attorney General’s Office. Zygielbaum said he has asked a state staffer to be present on Election Day to observe any federal monitors and help ensure that oversight does not become interference.
The DOJ has also notified seven counties in Texas, King County in Washington, Miami-Dade County in Florida, and Hennepin and Ramsey counties in Minnesota. In Minnesota, monitors were denied close access during the August primary, and state officials said a decision about the general election has not yet been made. Texas previously blocked DOJ monitors during the 2024 election cycle, underscoring the tensions surrounding federal oversight in state-run elections.