The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has deployed around 1,000 election monitors and observers across all 50 states to oversee voting in Tuesday’s midterm elections, with a significant number sent to predominantly Democratic areas, as the Trump administration also expands a criminal investigation into a closely contested Senate race in Alaska.
A Reuters analysis found that Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris defeated Donald Trump in about two-thirds of the jurisdictions selected for monitoring during the 2024 presidential election.
Black and Latino voters make up a majority of the population in many of the targeted jurisdictions, which are concentrated in states where the outcome of Senate races could determine control of the chamber.
The deployment comes amid growing scrutiny of the Trump administration’s approach to election oversight. The Justice Department has pressed states to hand over voter registration data, arguing that stricter measures are necessary to protect election integrity and maintain public confidence in the voting process.
The administration had also asked the US Supreme Court to temporarily prevent California from counting mail-in ballots cast by more than 20,000 voters whom federal officials alleged were likely to be non-citizens. The court rejected the request on Monday night.
Critics have described the administration’s actions, including the expanded monitoring programme, as potential voter intimidation.
The Justice Department said it was deploying observers to ensure compliance with federal election laws, particularly in areas where voters have historically faced barriers to accessing polling stations or risks of intimidation.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K Dhillon described the deployment as the largest election monitoring operation in the department’s history.
“I am very proud we are deploying the largest monitoring effort in DOJ history, and pursuing transparency for elections in an assertive and nondiscriminatory manner,” Dhillon said in a statement.
The expanded programme has prompted several states to issue fresh guidelines to local election officials and polling staff, clarifying the limited authority of federal observers on Election Day.
Some jurisdictions, including Hennepin County in Minnesota, which includes Minneapolis, have refused Justice Department requests for access to polling stations.
DOJ officials are not authorised to conduct investigations at polling locations or prevent people from casting their ballots.
