Some Republican-led states refuse to let Justice Department monitors into polling places

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: AP

Updated 2:40 PM EST, November 4, 2024


WASHINGTON (AP) — Some Republican-led states say they will block the Justice Department’s election monitors from going inside polling places on Election Day, pushing back on federal authorities’ decades-long practice of watching for violations of federal voting laws.

Officials in Florida and Texas have said they won’t allow federal election monitors into polling sites on Tuesday. And on Monday, Missouri filed a federal lawsuit seeking a court order to block federal officials from observing inside polling places.

The Justice Department announced last week that it’s deploying election monitors in 86 jurisdictions across 27 states on Election Day. The Justice Department declined to comment on Monday on the Missouri lawsuit and the moves by other Republican-led states.

The race between Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump is a dead heat, and both sides are bracing for potential legal challenges to vote tallies. The Justice Department’s election monitoring effort, a long practice under both Democratic and Republican administrations, is meant to ensure that federal voting rights are being followed.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-election-monitors-republican-states-b432050ce1a28e106394b6cefeb4866c

---

MO has now joined in the idiocy.

REFERENCE - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143332615

[Think. Again.]

1. Let's hope they're just being little pissant babies and not trying to hide something big.

[gab13by13]

26. You underestimate how evil they are.

[Metaphorical]

2. Ignore the burning pile of blue ballots in the back field.

I still think that the feds should send in guys in black suits and sunglasses in black helicopters to the election centers in FL, TX and MO. If they want a confrontation, we'll give it to them.

[wolfie001]

3. I blame "balls and strikes" John Roberts

He's a foul, stupid, short-sited, spineless creature.

[Ollie Garkie]

4. I wonder

What kind of fascist shit Abbott and Desatan are pulling. They could swing the election back to red if they're going blue, they must be stopped by armed force if necessary!

[Clouds Passing]

19. Paxton admitted to cheating in 2020. Why that facist is not in prison for life?

[bluestarone]

5. Wonder if a voter (or monitor)sees something very bad going on, can they

CALL the feds in?

[BumRushDaShow]

6. "Wonder if a voter (or monitor)sees something very bad going on, can they CALL the feds in?"

From here - https://www.justice.gov/crt/statutes-enforced-voting-section and here - https://www.justice.gov/crt/frequently-asked-questions-2#faq2

How can I report possible violations of the federal voting rights laws?

We encourage anyone with a complaint about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws to contact the Civil Rights Division. There are no special forms to use or procedures to follow--just call us toll-free at [phone], or write to us.

Contacting The Voting Section

Send mail

Voting Section
Civil Rights Division
U.S. Department of Justice
4 Constitution Square
Room 8.923
150 M Street, NE
Washington, DC 20530

Call

You may call the Voting Section at [phone] or toll-free at [phone].

Fax

You can send a fax to the Voting Section at [phone].

Submit a report

You can submit a report to the Voting Section at https://civilrights.justice.gov

Email

You can email the Voting Section at [e-mail]

[bluestarone]

7. TY for this. I'm sure the Democrats from Texas have a plan

Was just hoping the Feds that are not allowed in, could be CALLED in by monitors or voters.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. DOJ (and most agencies) have "all-state" or "50-state" calls

and communications, so the elections officials in every state should be aware.

[TheRickles]

9. Do states have any legal standing to prevent federal DOJ observers from being on-site to monitor?

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Not really

Some like to repeat history.

[Ramsey Barner]

12. The Supremes struck down the part of the Voting Rights Act that used to authorize federal election monitors

[DOJ formerly sent]

election monitors across the country to observe procedures in polling sites and at places where ballots are counted. That was a power granted to the federal government under the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which outlawed discriminatory voting practices and sought to equalize voting access. After the U.S. Supreme Court gutted parts of the law years ago, the agency now must get permission from state and local jurisdictions to be present or get a court order.

https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/01/texas-justice-department-election-monitors/

On Edit:
From DOJ:

The Voting Rights Act provides for the appointment of federal observers by order of a federal court pursuant to Section 3(a), or, (prior to the Shelby County decision) with regard to political subdivisions covered under Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, upon the certification by the Attorney General, pursuant to Section 8 (previously Section 6).

https://www.justice.gov/crt/about-federal-observers-and-election-monitoring

[TheRickles]

13. Thank you for this important, and sad, information.

[BumRushDaShow]

16. Some additional

https://www.justice.gov/crt/about-federal-observers-and-election-monitoring

Election Monitoring


In light of the Shelby County decision, the Division is not relying on the Section 4(b) coverage formula as a way to identify jurisdictions for election monitoring. The Division can continue to engage OPM federal observers where there is a relevant court order. The Division also will continue to conduct its own election monitoring around the country, using its own staff, without relying on the Section 4(b) coverage formula. Please see the fact sheet here.

After the Shelby County decision, the Division can continue to engage OPM federal observers where there is a court order under Section 3(a) of the Voting Rights Act authorizing their presence. The monitoring of elections by federal observers is an important aspect of the Division's voting rights enforcement efforts. The success of the federal observer program is made possible by the long-term commitment of OPM to recruit, train, and supervise these federal observers, who serve as neutral and impartial observers of election-day procedures, and by cooperation and coordination with state and local election officials.

The Division also monitors elections in the field for compliance with the federal voting rights laws in jurisdictions not currently eligible for assignment of federal observers. Under these circumstances, one or more attorneys and staff members from the Division may be assigned to monitor the election in the field on election day and maintain contact with state and local officials.

Link to FACT SHEET (PDF) - https://www.justice.gov/media/848001/dl?inline

[TomSlick]

11. Absent a FEDERAL court order supporting the states, the DOJ monitors should appear with a US Marshall.

Nothing like the threat of arrest to make wanna be fascists back the hell down.

[Eliot Rosewater]

27. Maybe they could deputize a few million of us to go and enforce it

[Jit423]

14. Can states National Guards be nationalized and put under control of the President using his SCOTUS grant of immunity?

Can the President use his Constitutional obligation to uphold the Constitution and protect us from all enemies including those inside the country.
The propensity of the danger was already acted out on J6. With that in mind, can certain state precincts be labeled a clear and present danger to the safety of poll workers and the integrity of the voting?

[BumRushDaShow]

17. We are not in a dictatorship

[johnnyfins]

34. Yes he can. He can invoke the Insurrection Act.

But not letting federal observers in does not rise to the level of "Insurrection". Maybe a flood of calls to that hotline from the states involved(if there is suspicious activity) could get the court order. Just sayin...

[AverageOldGuy]

15. Virginia, too

Republican Governor and Attorney General. Both fools.

[moonshinegnomie]

18. the hell with them

send the monitors in along with federal marshals
if the state tries to block them just arrest them,no questions asked.

[Eliot Rosewater]

28. And if they need help they can deputize a few million of us to enforce it. Arent you all SICK AND TIRED

of this shit yet and MAD AS HELL

Jesus christ, if someone said they wanted Mike Tyson to beat up my wife, as trump said about Kamala, I would SLAP THEM

[LiberalFighter]

20. When they include federal elections with state and local elections...

Then they should expect Federal Monitors to be involved.

They possibly can avoid Federal Monitors when it only involves state and local elections.

[Botany]

21. They have to cheat to win.

End of story.

[DFW]

22. I hope the DOJ monitors are accompanied by SWAT teams

And said SWAT teams are ready to use their tools of the trade if necessary.

Anyone willing to use force to subvert our democracy is no less an enemy than a hostile foreign power raining missiles on our territory: a takeover by force that the country should resist with greater force. At SOME point, the country has to say, “no, you do NOT get to make the vote to say whatever you want it to be. Not with THIS country, you don’t.”

Drastic? Very. It rather contrasts with my pacifist tendencies. But what Abbott and DeSantis want to do is pervert the vote, and the vote is all we’ve got. It’s the only thing standing between being ruled by an elected government and being ruled by the Taliban. The Federal Government is our last and only line of defense. It should do some defending.

[GoYouPackersGo]

23. Sounds like it's time to send Federal Marshals. nt

[JT45242]

24. So the usual fascist suspects Abbott and desatan...quel suprise

No one is shocked by these two criminals and their AG Nazi collaborators

[Orrex]

25. Sounds like a great time to use some absolute immunity for an official presidential action

[Hieronymus Phact]

29. time for a press conference asking:

WHAT ARE THEY HIDING?

[Diraven]

30. So this is their plan

Rig the vote in every state with a Republican governor and prevent the feds from investigating.

[sheshe2]

31. What do they have to hide?

[C Moon]

32. The rich and the evil know trump is going to lose without cheating.

Election day is one thing, the weeks and months to follow are going to be ugly.

[Kablooie]

33. Here we go.

The openly corrupt cheating has begun.

[Mysterian]

35. Arrest, indict, convict anyone blocking access to federal authorities

Seems like a pretty easy solution.

[ShazzieB]

36. Is this shady af or what?

I hope the DOJ is on top of this.

[HereForTheParty]

37. WTF? They're citing state law?

Isn't state law superseded by federal law?