WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 7, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — The U.S. Justice Department has announced it will be monitoring polls in 24 states during Tuesday’s elections.
The 64 jurisdictions selected include eight in Massachusetts, five each in Michigan, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, four in Alaska, and one in Utah, San Juan County.
The press release included no criteria for deciding which sites deserved official monitoring.
“The Justice Department announced today its plans to monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in 64 jurisdictions in 24 states for the Nov. 8, 2022 general election,” reads the Monday post on the department’s website.
“Since the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Civil Rights Division has regularly monitored elections in the field in jurisdictions around the country to protect the rights of voters. The Civil Rights Division will also take complaints from the public nationwide regarding possible violations of the federal voting rights laws through its call center. The Civil Rights Division enforces the federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all citizens to access the ballot.
Monitors will include personnel from the Civil Rights Division and from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the release said, as well as monitors from the Office of Personnel Management, where authorized by federal court order. “Division personnel will also 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, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the National Voter Registration Act, the Help America Vote Act and the Civil Rights Acts, the DOJ said.
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.
“On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive complaints from the public related to possible violations of the federal voting rights laws by a complaint form on the department’s website https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by telephone toll-free at 800-253-3931.
“Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website, at https://www.ada.gov/.
“Complaints related to disruption at a polling place should always be reported immediately to local election officials (including officials in the polling place).
“Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.”
