DOJ to monitor voting sites in 24 states for federal law compliance

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Monday that it would monitor election sites in 24 states around the country on Tuesday to ensure compliance with voting rights laws.

“Since the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Civil Rights Division has regularly monitored elections in the field in jurisdictions around the country to protect the rights of voters,” wrote the DOJ in a statement.

The department will monitor voting sites in 64 jurisdictions across the 24 states, which are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.

The Civil Rights Division of the DOJ also announced that it will accept public complaints through its call center concerning possible violations of voting rights laws.

Relevant laws include the Voting Rights Act, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the National Voter Registration Act, the Help America Vote Act, and the Civil Rights Acts.

The Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section is in charge of monitoring voting to enforce the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The criminal section of the division enforces laws to prohibit voter intimidation and suppression based on race, national origin and other traits.

The personnel monitoring election sites will include representatives from the Civil Rights Division, various state’s attorneys offices and the Office of Personnel Management.