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Department of Justice to Deploy Officials to 27 States to Oversee Voting Rights Compliance on Election Day


Federal officials will oversee voting processes and address complaints from the public regarding potential violations of voting rights laws in 86 jurisdictions.

Federal officials will be present at polling stations in 27 states on Election Day to monitor compliance with voting rights laws, as announced by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday.

The monitoring will take place in 86 jurisdictions across 27 states, including key locations in Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

Officials will oversee voting processes and respond to public complaints during the election.

This monitoring effort is part of the DOJ’s routine practice of deploying staff to enforce federal protections for the right of eligible U.S. citizens to vote.

In light of recent concerns about election integrity, access to voting, and the safety of election officials, additional measures are being implemented in some jurisdictions, such as installing bulletproof glass and panic buttons.

Efforts to ensure more oversight in the ballot counting process have been evident this election cycle, along with incidents like the destruction of ballot drop boxes, highlighting issues related to voter intimidation and election security.

States listed by the DOJ, such as Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, are crucial in deciding the outcome of the presidential election due to their swing potential towards major political parties.

Officials from the Civil Rights Division will collaborate with U.S. attorney’s offices, federal observers, and state and local election officials, according to the DOJ.

The DOJ enforces laws under various federal statutes like the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Civil Rights Acts to protect the right to vote.

Federal statutes also prohibit any attempts to intimidate or suppress voters based on race, color, national origin, or religion.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 identified areas with prevalent racial discrimination, allowing federal officials to be dispatched as observers in those jurisdictions.

In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court deemed sections of the act unconstitutional, eliminating jurisdictions subject to the law.

Chief Justice John Roberts, in the ruling, stated, “Our country has changed, and while any racial discrimination in voting is too much, Congress must ensure that the legislation it passes to address that problem reflects current conditions.”

The ruling enabled states like Texas to implement laws requiring voter IDs to prove eligibility.

In her dissenting view, the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg noted the existence of voting discrimination despite the ruling.

She emphasized, “The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) has effectively combated voting discrimination where other solutions failed, particularly with the requirement of federal preclearance for changes in voting laws in regions with severe records of discrimination against minority voting rights.”



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