DOJ Monitoring Voting Rights Compliance In NJ Counties

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — The Justice Department will be keeping an eye on Bergen County this Election Day.

The DOJ announced Monday it would monitor jurisdictions in 18 states to ensure that voting rights laws are being followed. They will also be taking complaints from voters across the nation through their call center.

In total, the DOJ will send personnel to 44 jurisdictions in 18 states Tuesday, including Bergen County, as well as Middlesex County in New Jersey.

"Federal law entrusts the Civil Rights Division with protecting the right to vote for all Americans," said Eric S. Dreiband, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.

"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 Civil Rights division enforces federal voting rights laws, and has monitored jurisdictions since the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, the DOJ said in a news release.