US Justice Department launches unprecedented election monitoring drive across 50 states

WASHINGTON (MNTV) – The US Justice Department said Tuesday it would send election observers to every state for the first time, marking an unprecedented nationwide effort to monitor compliance with federal laws protecting voters during the midterm elections.

Harmeet K. Dhillon, head of the department’s Civil Rights Division, said the administration was undertaking its most extensive election monitoring operation yet, describing the initiative as part of its commitment to ensuring transparency and safeguarding election integrity.

According to the department, roughly 1,000 personnel will be assigned to election-day monitoring.

The deployment will include staff from the Civil Rights Division, federal prosecutors’ offices across the country and observers from the Office of Personnel Management.

Their responsibilities will include working alongside state and local election authorities to assess whether voting procedures comply with federal legislation.

Particular attention will be given to protections established under the Voting Rights Act, accessibility requirements for voters with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and federal criminal laws against intimidation or discriminatory efforts to prevent people from voting on grounds of race, color, national origin or religion.

Federal election monitoring under the Voting Rights Act dates back to 1965, when the legislation was enacted to address racial discrimination in voting. However, this year’s operation marks the first nationwide deployment covering all 50 states.

The monitoring comes as voters cast ballots for the entire 435-member House of Representatives, 35 Senate seats and 36 governorships. Republicans currently hold majorities in both chambers of Congress, while Democrats are seeking to regain control of Congress and limit the scope of President Donald Trump’s legislative programme.