Justice Department to Send Record 1,000 Monitors to Midterm Election Polls

The Justice Department plans to deploy a record 1,000 federal monitors to polling places across the U.S. for the upcoming midterm elections, according to the head of the department's Civil Rights Division.

This number exceeds the 289 monitors sent in the 2022 midterms and the 714 deployed for the 2024 presidential election. The Civil Rights Division has historically sent monitors to ensure compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination and intimidation at the polls based on race, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, or other protected classes.

Historically, these monitors have been DOJ attorneys and staff, with some assistance from U.S. Attorney's Offices. The 2024 presidential election effort included a smaller percentage of monitors from a separate federal observer program that recruits and trains volunteers. It remains unclear how the Justice Department will manage the logistics of deploying 1,000 monitors, an effort requiring extensive planning and preparation.

The Civil Rights Division experienced staff departures under the Trump administration, with over 70% of its career staff reportedly taking early retirement or resigning amid concerns about changes to its mission.