AG Holder Announces Federal Election Monitors, Urges All Americans to Vote

Attorney General Holder Announces Federal Election Monitors, Urges All Americans to Vote

As Americans across the country prepare to vote in tomorrow's midterm elections, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the Department of Justice has dispatched federal monitors to polling places around the country. Just as they do during every election, these officials will gather information on numerous aspects of local election procedures, including whether voters are treated differently depending on their race or color; whether jurisdictions are adequately serving individuals with disabilities; whether jurisdictions are complying with the provisional ballot requirements of the Help America Vote Act; and whether jurisdictions are complying with the Voting Rights Act's requirement to provide bilingual election materials and assistance in areas of need. Attorney General Holder also called on jurisdictions to implement the recommendations of President Obama's bipartisan Presidential Commission on Election Administration, which outlined a series of steps to make it simpler to cast a ballot. He further advised election officials and poll workers to carry out their duties responsibly, and urged all eligible Americans—regardless of party affiliation or political views—to exercise their right to vote.