While the Justice Department will be sending out fewer election observers in total this election, the Civil Rights Division will be out in force, with more than 500 staffers being deployed to 28 states on Nov. 8.
DOJ personnel will be on hand to ensure minority voters have full access to the polls on Election Day.
“The department will gather information on, among other things, whether voters are subject to different voting qualifications or procedures on the basis of race, color or membership in a language minority group; whether jurisdictions are complying with the minority language provisions of the Voting Rights Act; whether jurisdictions permit voters to receive assistance by a person of his or her choice if the voter is blind, has a disability or is unable to read or write; whether jurisdictions provide polling locations and voting systems allowing voters with disabilities to cast a private and independent ballot; whether jurisdictions comply with the voter registration list requirements of the National Voter Registration Act; and whether jurisdictions comply with the provisional ballot requirements of the Help America Vote Act,” according to a DOJ release.
“The bedrock of our democracy is the right to vote, and the Department of Justice works tirelessly to uphold that right not only on Election Day, but every day,” said Attorney General Loretta Lynch. “As always, our personnel will perform these duties impartially, with one goal in mind: To see to it that every eligible voter can participate in our elections to the full extent that federal law provides.”
To achieve this, the department is sending personnel — including those fluent in Spanish, Asian and Native American languages — to 67 voting districts in 28 states. Those include:
- class=”MsoNormal”>Bethel Census Area, Alaska
- class=”MsoNormal”>Dillingham Census Area, Alaska
- class=”MsoNormal”>Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska
- class=”MsoNormal”>Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska
- class=”MsoNormal”>Maricopa County, Arizona
- class=”MsoNormal”>Navajo County, Arizona
- class=”MsoNormal”>Alameda County, California
- class=”MsoNormal”>Napa County, California
- class=”MsoNormal”>Siskiyou County, California
- class=”MsoNormal”>East Hartford, Connecticut
- class=”MsoNormal”>Farmington, Connecticut
- class=”MsoNormal”>Hartford, Connecticut
- class=”MsoNormal”>Middletown, Connecticut
- class=”MsoNormal”>New Britain, Connecticut
- class=”MsoNormal”>Newington, Connecticut
- class=”MsoNormal”>West Hartford, Connecticut
- class=”MsoNormal”>Hillsborough County, Florida
- class=”MsoNormal”>Lee County, Florida
- class=”MsoNormal”>Miami-Dade County, Florida
- class=”MsoNormal”>Orange County, Florida
- class=”MsoNormal”>Palm Beach County, Florida
- class=”MsoNormal”>Fulton County, Georgia
- class=”MsoNormal”>Gwinnett County, Georgia
- class=”MsoNormal”>Hancock County, Georgia
- class=”MsoNormal”>Chicago, Illinois
- class=”MsoNormal”>Cook County, Illinois
- class=”MsoNormal”>Finney County, Kansas
- class=”MsoNormal”>Orleans Parish, Louisiana
- class=”MsoNormal”>Quincy, Massachusetts
- class=”MsoNormal”>Dearborn Heights, Michigan
- class=”MsoNormal”>Detroit, Michigan
- class=”MsoNormal”>Hamtramck, Michigan
- class=”MsoNormal”>St. Louis, Missouri
- class=”MsoNormal”>Douglas County, Nebraska
- class=”MsoNormal”>Mineral County, Nevada
- class=”MsoNormal”>Washoe County, Nevada
- class=”MsoNormal”>Middlesex County, New Jersey
- class=”MsoNormal”>Cibola County, New Mexico
- class=”MsoNormal”>Kings County, New York
- class=”MsoNormal”>Orange County, New York
- class=”MsoNormal”>Queens County, New York
- class=”MsoNormal”>Cumberland County, North Carolina
- class=”MsoNormal”>Forsyth County, North Carolina
- class=”MsoNormal”>Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
- class=”MsoNormal”>Robeson County, North Carolina
- class=”MsoNormal”>Wake County, North Carolina
- class=”MsoNormal”>Benson County, North Dakota
- class=”MsoNormal”>Rolette County, North Dakota
- class=”MsoNormal”>Cuyahoga County, Ohio
- class=”MsoNormal”>Franklin County, Ohio
- class=”MsoNormal”>Hamilton County, Ohio
- class=”MsoNormal”>Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
- class=”MsoNormal”>Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
- class=”MsoNormal”>Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
- class=”MsoNormal”>Pawtucket, Rhode Island
- class=”MsoNormal”>Providence, Rhode Island
- class=”MsoNormal”>Bennett County, South Dakota
- class=”MsoNormal”>Jackson County, South Dakota
- class=”MsoNormal”>Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota
- class=”MsoNormal”>Shelby County, Tennessee
- class=”MsoNormal”>Dallas County, Texas
- class=”MsoNormal”>Harris County, Texas
- class=”MsoNormal”>Waller County, Texas
- class=”MsoNormal”>San Juan County, Utah
- class=”MsoNormal”>Fairfax County, Virginia
- class=”MsoNormal”>Prince William County, Virginia
- class=”MsoNormal”>Milwaukee, Wisconsin
