In the lead-up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election scheduled for November 5th, the Department of Justice announced on Friday, November 2nd, that federal officials will be dispatched to polling stations in 27 states to oversee the enforcement of the Voting Rights Act on election day.
According to the Department of Justice, federal officials will be on-site to monitor the voting process and address public complaints regarding potential violations of the Voting Rights Act.
The key monitoring locations among the 86 judicial districts in the 27 states include Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
This is a routine practice by the Department of Justice to implement federal protection measures during the election period, aimed at safeguarding the voting rights of eligible American citizens.
In recent years, concerns have escalated within both political parties regarding election integrity, voting rights, and candidate safety. This year, some jurisdictions are deploying additional measures, such as installing bulletproof glass and emergency buttons.
In this election cycle, states are making efforts to ensure greater oversight in the vote-counting process. Recent incidents of ballot box tampering have underscored the challenges voters face in ensuring election security.
Among the 27 states listed by the Department of Justice, some are recognized as playing a pivotal role in shaping the overall outcome of the election. These include Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
The Civil Rights Division officials of the Department of Justice will be coordinating with U.S. Attorney’s Offices, federal monitors from the Office of Personnel Management, and state and local election officials.
The Department of Justice’s civil and criminal enforcement upholds multiple federal regulations protecting voting rights, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Civil Rights Act.
Federal regulations also prohibit actions that intimidate or suppress voters based on race, color, national origin, or religion.
Enacted in 1965, the Voting Rights Act was passed by Congress recognizing widespread racial discrimination in certain regions. As part of this law, federal officials are allowed to be deployed as observers to these areas.
However, in 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that certain provisions of the Act were unconstitutional, relieving any jurisdiction from enforcing the law.
Chief Justice John Roberts, when making the ruling, stated: “While improvements have been made in our nation, and no racial discrimination should be tolerated in voting, Congress must ensure that legislation addressing this issue aligns with current circumstances.”
This ruling allowed states like Texas to enact laws requiring voters to present identification to prove their eligibility to vote.
In her dissenting opinion, the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg expressed that voter discrimination still persists.
She wrote, “The Voting Rights Act of 1965 has served to combat voter discrimination where other remedial measures have failed.”
“Of particular efficacy, the Act mandates that in areas with the most severe record of minority voter discrimination nationwide, all changes to voting regulations must undergo federal preclearance,” she stated.