The Department of Justice deployed roughly 1,000 federal monitors across voting jurisdictions in all 50 states on Tuesday for the 2026 midterm elections. The operation, coordinated by the department's Civil Rights Division, marks the first election cycle in which federal monitors are stationed across every state simultaneously. The deployment represents an increase of 286 personnel over the 714 observers sent to 27 states and 86 jurisdictions during the 2024 presidential election, following 289 observers dispatched during the 2022 midterms.
Monitoring personnel are drawn from the Civil Rights Division, regional U.S. attorneys' offices, other Justice Department divisions, and the Office of Personnel Management. "Election integrity has been one of the top priorities for this Administration and this Division," said Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. "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."
Monitoring Scope and Legal Boundaries
Department spokesperson Kiersten Pels stated that monitors are instructed solely to observe and document potential federal violations, with collected reports set for formal review after Election Day. Earlier legal filings confirmed the department is relying on unarmed civilian personnel rather than sworn law enforcement officers at polling locations. Federal monitors are barred from asking voters about citizenship, disrupting voting administration, or engaging in political advocacy while on assignment.
Federal officials notified state authorities of plans to monitor compliance regarding accessibility accommodations, non-English language services, and the handling of provisional ballots. Separate from poll observation teams, the Federal Bureau of Investigation assigned an election crimes coordinator to each of its 56 field offices on Election Day.
Local election administrators retain authority over physical access under state election codes. In Kentucky, Jefferson County Clerk David Yates denied a federal request to admit monitors inside voting rooms, citing state statutes that require observers without explicit statutory clearance to remain outside a 100-foot buffer perimeter. Voters observing irregularities can submit reports directly through the Justice Department's online portal or call the nonpartisan Election Protection line at 866-687-8683.
