DOJ Sends Election Monitors To Prince George's County Polling Places

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Federal election monitors are being deployed to Prince George's County polling places Tuesday as the U.S. Department of Justice launches its largest election-monitoring operation in history.

Prince George's County is the only Maryland jurisdiction named in the department's Election Day monitoring announcement, released Tuesday morning.

The Justice Department said it is deploying approximately 1,000 election monitors and observers across all 50 states for the first time. The department's Civil Rights Division is coordinating the effort.

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The monitors are tasked with checking compliance with federal voting rights laws, including protections against voter discrimination, intimidation and suppression. They will also monitor compliance with laws protecting voting access for people with disabilities.

Maryland State Administrator of Elections Jared DeMarinis previously confirmed that federal monitors would be stationed at some polling places in Prince George's County.

"They have done this in the past. They are there just to observe and take notes. They cannot interfere or intrude or interject in any way in the voting process," DeMarinis told WBAL-TV 11 in an Oct. 27 report.

DeMarinis said state election officials were preparing to ensure voters could cast ballots without intimidation, harassment or threats.

The monitoring effort comes amid heightened national attention to election security and concerns about federal involvement in the voting process.

The NAACP has filed a lawsuit challenging the federal monitoring effort, claiming it could intimidate voters. Justice Department officials have rejected those concerns as unfounded, according to WBAL NewsRadio.

The Justice Department said Tuesday that its election-monitoring program has operated under administrations of both political parties since the Voting Rights Act was enacted in 1965.

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"Election integrity has been one of the top priorities for this Administration and this Division," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said in the department's announcement.

Dhillon said the nationwide deployment would promote transparency and nondiscriminatory enforcement of voting laws.

What Prince George's County Voters Should Know

Federal monitors are expected to observe election procedures rather than direct voting operations or interfere with voters.

The monitoring teams include personnel from the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, other department components, U.S. Attorney's Offices and federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management.

The department has not specified which Prince George's County polling places will have monitors or how many federal personnel will be assigned to the county.

Voters who encounter problems at polling places should first notify local election officials.

The Justice Department is also accepting complaints about potential violations of federal voting rights laws through the following channels:

• Election complaints hotline: 1-800-253-3931
• Email: VEM@usdoj.gov
• Online complaints: DOJ Civil Rights Division
• Disability access complaints: 1-800-514-0301

Anyone experiencing violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should call 911 immediately, the department said.

Prince George's County voters can also find local election information through the Prince George's County Board of Elections.

The Justice Department said its Civil Rights Division will remain available throughout Election Day and the rest of the week to receive voting-related questions and complaints.