Judge Rejects Missouri’s Request to Halt DOJ Poll Monitors on Election Day

November 5, 2024 TruthUSA

Missouri officials accused the federal government of unlawfully meddling in the state’s elections.

A recent ruling on Nov. 4 denied Missouri officials’ attempt to stop U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) poll monitors.

U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk rejected the request for a temporary restraining order.

“After reviewing the arguments presented by both parties, the Court determined that the State of Missouri failed to provide sufficient justification for extraordinary relief,” Pitlyk stated in a 4-page order.

Earlier that day, Missouri’s secretary of state and attorney general filed a lawsuit to prevent the DOJ from deploying personnel to monitor polling stations. In an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order, they argued that the court should immediately instruct the DOJ not to send personnel as it would infringe on state laws without clear authority.

DOJ officials disputed this, citing a previous settlement with the St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners that permits monitoring on Election Day.

The 2019 settlement stipulates that the city “will fully cooperate with the United States’ efforts to observe compliance with this Agreement, including providing timely access to polling places (including on Election Day).”

To obtain a temporary restraining order, plaintiffs must demonstrate a likelihood of success. Pitlyk pointed out that the plaintiffs in this instance failed to do so.

In practical terms, the anticipated harm would be two individuals monitoring a single polling location to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as outlined in an existing agreement for many years, and already done at least twice without issue,” she explained.

“The documented and undisputed harms to individuals with disabilities, which prompted the Settlement Agreement and the presence of federal observers, contrast with the speculative harms that the State of Missouri envisions—a flaw highlighted by the fact that similar observers have been present at least twice without any notice taken,” she further added.

While Missouri could suffer from the inability to enforce its election laws, the United States may also face repercussions from being unable to enforce the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the judge emphasized that it is unclear whether Missouri’s interests outweigh federal interests.

The recent ruling differs from 2022 when the DOJ planned to send staff to monitor polls in another Missouri County but withdrew these plans following resistance from Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft.

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