Polls Braced For Record Monitor Surge
Federal and partisan teams will deploy thousands of observers to watch November ballots.
By Mateo Thompson ·
Polling places across the nation will host a record number of observers on Election Day, with state Democratic parties training an estimated 10,000 volunteers to watch for federal agents. Common Cause has prepared roughly 16,000 additional monitors, and a coalition of 300 groups has trained tens of thousands more, according to Suzanne Almeida, vice president of states for Common Cause.
The Justice Department will field its largest monitoring operation ever, with about 1,000 staff members expected to observe voting. Kiersten Pels, a department spokesperson, said the team will focus on high-population areas and jurisdictions with past problems. The Republican National Committee is deploying election integrity deputy state directors in 22 states, including Arizona, Michigan, Georgia, and North Carolina.
The Democratic National Committee created a cybersecurity unit staffed by former CIA and FBI officials to track online misinformation and deepfakes. Jane Kleeb, vice chair of the DNC, noted that the party is facing direct threats regarding the seizure of ballots and the placement of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at voting locations.
Local officials are preparing for potential friction between these large groups. Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, stated on CBS' 60 Minutes that there is no plan to send ICE agents to polling places. White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis blamed radical Democrats for creating fears by refusing voter ID requirements.
The Justice Department has already filed lawsuits in California and Alaska that could affect ballot counting. In Wyoming, Gov. Mark Gordon described two department monitors during a primary as aggressive, though the department disputes that improper conduct occurred. The RNC has enlisted nearly 22,000 poll workers and is recruiting volunteers for competitive districts.
Save America volunteers have already begun monitoring early voting in Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, and Ohio. Mary Corcoran, the group's executive director, said that addressing fear is essential to prevent voters from staying home. The Democratic Mayors Association issued guidance stating that federal agents cannot be armed, interact with voters, or handle ballots at polling locations.
