( The Center Square) – Texas officials have rebuffed an attempt by the U.S. Department of Justice to monitor election activity on Election Day in Texas.
The Justice Department on Friday announced its plan “to monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in 86 jurisdictions in 27 states for the Nov. 5 general election.”
It says it’s part of its effort to enforce “federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot” and regularly deploys staff to states to monitor “for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country.”
The 86 jurisdictions are located in the 27 states: Alaska (5), Arizona (4), California (1), Florida (4), Georgia (5), Kentucky (2), Massachusetts (8), Maryland (1), Michigan (6), Minnesota (3), Mississippi (3), Missouri (1), Montana (1), North Carolina (3), New Jersey (3), New Mexico (2), Nevada (1), New York (1), Ohio (2), Pennsylvania (3), Rhode Island (3), South Carolina (1), South Dakota (4), Texas (8), Utah (1), Virginia (5), and Wisconsin (4).
The majority are listed in Texas in the counties of Atascosa, Bexar, Dallas, Frio, Harris, Hays, Palo Pinto and Waller.
The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the monitoring effort, it says, and send personnel from the DOJ, U.S. Attorney’s Offices and federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management. Throughout Election Day, DOJ personnel “will maintain contact with state and local election officials,” it said, and “be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws.”
In response to Nelson’s letter, Gov. Greg Abbott said, “Federal monitors are not allowed to enter polling places in Texas.”
Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson had a similar response.
“Texas law is clear: Justice Department monitors are not permitted inside a polling place where ballots are being cast or a central counting station where ballots are being counted,” she said in a letter to the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division chief. She also cited Texas Election Code, which stipulates who is permitted in polling places and “federal inspectors are not included in the enumerated list. Nor are federal inspectors specified in the list of persons permitted in the central counting station while ballots are being counted.”
She also said that Texas has “robust processes and procedures in place to ensure that eligible voters may participate in a free and fair election.”
On Monday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton deployed an Election Day Rapid Response Legal Team to major counties throughout the state to monitor Election Day activity and “address litigation arising from the election, as necessary.”
The team “will be equipped to enforce Texas election laws and take immediate action on any contingencies, including issues seen in previous cycles such as ballot shortages, extended polling location closures, and improper extension of voting hours,” the OAG said in a statement. The OAG is also preparing “to take defensive action against activist groups who might attempt to influence the election through litigation,” it said. His team is coordinating with Nelson’s office “to ensure that all issues are addressed immediately, and that Texas elections are fair and secure.”
The OAG has already taken several election-related actions, including suing Travis and Bexar counties for using taxpayer money to send voter registration materials to potentially ineligible residents, suing the Biden-Harris administration over not confirming voter registration citizenship eligibility information, and making a criminal referral to the DOJ related to ActBlue donation
“There is no issue more important and more fundamental to our nation than election integrity,” Paxton said. “Our Election Day Rapid Response Legal Team will be on the frontline on November 5th. We will defend the ballot box from any bad actors seeking to unduly influence or illegally undermine Texas elections.”
The OAG is encouraging Texans to contact its tipline at illegalvoting@oag.texas.gov to report any suspected election violation.
The DOJ encourages Americans to report alleged violations of federal voting rights laws online or by calling 1-800-253-3931.
