DOJ to Safeguard Democracy with Election Monitors in Six States for 2026 Primaries
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The Justice Department is stepping up to protect voting rights by deploying federal monitors to 15 jurisdictions across six states for the 2026 primaries, focusing on language and disability access. However, the DOJ’s warnings about noncitizen voting risk stoking xenophobic fears and undermining trust in the electoral process.
The Justice Department announced Tuesday its commitment to defending democracy by placing federal election monitors in 15 jurisdictions across Arizona, Michigan, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Virginia during the 2026 primary elections. Civil Rights Division chief Harmeet Dhillon emphasized that these monitors will focus on ensuring language access, disability access, and fair polling-place hours—critical components for an inclusive and equitable voting process.
Dhillon highlighted that the department previously sent monitors to nine jurisdictions in the 2022 primaries and 27 in the 2024 election, framing the 2026 effort as a continuation of much-needed oversight in a time when voting rights are under attack nationwide.
Yet, the announcement was accompanied by a troubling move: the department issued letters to election officials in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, warning of potential criminal prosecution for retaining noncitizens on voter rolls or allowing them to vote. This rhetoric, echoing right-wing talking points, risks fueling anti-immigrant sentiment and distracting from the real threats to voting rights, such as voter suppression and disenfranchisement. The DOJ has also faced setbacks in court as it sought unredacted statewide voter rolls, raising concerns about transparency and the potential for overreach.
"It’s also important to make sure that our voting is accurate so that every citizen who votes has their vote counted equally without being canceled out by somebody who shouldn’t be voting," Dhillon said, a statement that, while seemingly neutral, can be weaponized to justify restrictive measures.
Dhillon suggested the monitoring effort could expand ahead of the general election, stating, "Stay tuned as we get towards the general election where there’ll be an even more expanded program for vote monitors." The expansion of monitoring is a positive step, but the DOJ must remain vigilant not to let fear-mongering about noncitizen voting overshadow the urgent need to protect access for all eligible voters.