Tens of thousands of rival monitors set for Election Day

Tens of thousands of election observers will occupy polling places across the country on Election Day, creating the largest simultaneous monitoring effort in recent history. Democrats, nonprofit watchdogs, and the Justice Department are all deploying staff to watch the November midterm vote. Each group cites different reasons for the presence, but the result is a crowded and tense atmosphere at the polls.

Jane Kleeb, vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, said the party has built a first-of-its-kind cybersecurity unit. The team includes former CIA and FBI officials. Their job is to track online misinformation, including artificial intelligence deepfakes, on Election Day. State Democratic parties have trained an estimated 10,000 volunteers. Common Cause has trained roughly 16,000 more, according to Suzanne Almeida, the group’s vice president of states.

Almeida said a broader coalition of 300 organizations has trained additional volunteers. Some local groups are adding their own eyes. Senate Democrats organized about 100 observers. The group Save America is training clergy members, veterans, and teachers. National groups like Indivisible and MoveOn are activating their networks. Some officials worry that so many separate organizations could create confusion outside polling locations, but Almeida argued the scale of the threat requires the effort.

The Trump administration is sending its own team. Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, told CBS’ “60 Minutes” there is no plan to send Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to polls. However, the department is deploying about 1,000 staff members to observe voting. Spokesperson Kiersten Pels said this is the largest monitoring effort in the department’s history. They will focus on high-population areas and districts with close elections.

The Justice Department’s role has already sparked friction. Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican, called the behavior of two monitors during the state primary “a bit aggressive.” A Laramie County clerk said the monitors tried to interview voters before her office stopped them. The department says the monitors followed federal law. Pels added that the observers are trained not to interfere with the voting process.

Republican groups are also active. The Republican National Committee is deploying “election integrity deputy state directors” in 22 states, including Arizona, Michigan, Georgia, and North Carolina. Ally Triolo, the RNC’s election integrity communications director, said these staff members recruit volunteers and organize trainings. The RNC has enlisted nearly 22,000 poll workers. They will watch the process to ensure rules are followed.

Local officials are preparing for the increased attention. Chris Swope, the city clerk in Lansing, Michigan, contacted law enforcement and his attorney beforehand. He expects federal monitors to follow the rules but wants legal support ready. The Democratic Mayors Association issued guidance to local officials. It reminds them that federal immigration agents and investigative personnel are prohibited from being present at polls. Federal agents are also not allowed to be armed or handle ballots.

White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis blamed “radical Democrats” for creating fears about election security. She said President Trump has done more than any other president to ensure free and fair elections. Trump told a reporter recently that the department’s monitors in Georgia are “not going to do anything other than watch.”

Some observations have already begun. Mary Corcoran, executive director of Save America, said her volunteers have been monitoring precincts during early voting in Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, and Ohio. She said the goal is to give voters a sense of security. “The fear is the point, and we must do something about it,” Corcoran said. “Left unanswered, fear does the work of keeping people home without a single agent setting foot at a polling place.”