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The Justice Department announced Monday that they will be sending officials to monitor polling sites in 44 jurisdictions across 18 states on Election Day in order to ensure that voters' rights are maintained.
Monitors will be focused on making sure sites are in compliance with voting laws, including the Voting Rights Act.
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“Federal law entrusts the Civil Rights Division with protecting the right to vote for all Americans,” Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Eric S. Dreiband said in a statement. “Our federal laws protect the right of all American citizens to vote without suffering discrimination, intimidation and harassment. The work of the Civil Rights Division around each federal general election is a continuation of its historical mission to ensure that all of our citizens can freely exercise this most fundamental American right."
The number of areas the DOJ will be monitoring is down from previous presidential elections. In 2016, they sent monitors to 67 jurisdictions in 28 states. In 2012, it was 51 jurisdictions in 23 states.
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Seven jurisdictions in Michigan will have DOJ personnel present to watch out for violations, the most of any state. Six Florida counties will have a Justice Department presence, as will five cities in Massachusetts.
FILE - In this Oct. 20, 2020 file photo, Kelly Wingfield, of Urbandale, Iowa, fills out his ballot during early voting in the general election, in Adel, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
Personnel will be sent from the DOJ's Civil Rights Division as well as from various U.S. attorney's offices. The division enforces laws that prohibit voter intimidation or suppression based on color, race, religion or national origin. It also enforces the American with Disabilities Act to make sure voters with disabilities are able to vote.
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DOJ election monitors will also be in communication with state and local officials, and will field complaints from them regarding suspected violations of voting rights through their website and at their call center at 800-253-3931.
Personnel will monitor the following jurisdictions, according to the DOJ website:
- Coconino County, Ariz.
- Maricopa County, Ariz.
- Navajo County, Ariz.
- Los Angeles County, Calif.
- Orange County, Calif.
- Broward County, Fla.
- Duval County, Fla.
- Hillsborough County, Fla.
- Miami-Dade County, Fla.
- Orange County, Fla.
- Palm Beach County, Fla.
- Fulton County, Ga.
- Gwinnett County, Ga.
- City of Chicago, Ill.
- Cook County, Ill.
- Montgomery County, Md.
- City of Boston, Mass.
- City of Lowell, Mass.
- City of Malden, Mass.
- City of Quincy, Mass.
- City of Springfield, Mass.
- City of Detroit, Mich.
- City of Eastpointe, Mich.
- City of Flint, Mich.
- City of Hamtramck, Mich.
- City of Highland Park, Mich.
- City of Jackson, Mich.
- Shelby Township, Mich.
- City of Minneapolis, Minn.
- Bergen County, N.J.
- Middlesex County, N.J.
- Bernalillo County, N.M.
- Mecklenburg County, N.C.
- Wake County, N.C.
- Cuyahoga County, Ohio
- Allegheny County, Pa.
- Lehigh County, Pa.
- Philadelphia County, Pa.
- Richland County, S.C.
- Harris County, Texas
- Waller County, Texas
- Fairfax County, Va.
- Prince William County, Va.
- City of Milwaukee, Wis.
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