Justice Department Cleared To Monitor Polling Sites In Missouri, Texas On Election Day

The US Justice Department has received authorisation to deploy lawyers to polling sites in Missouri and Texas on Election Day to ensure compliance with federal voting rights laws. 

This decision came after both states, led by Republican officials, attempted to block the federal monitors from participating in the election process.

Missouri and Texas are among 27 states where the Justice Department plans to send staff to monitor polling locations, a routine practice during national elections. 

Former President Donald Trump, a Republican, is facing off against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Trump has repeatedly made unfounded claims of widespread voting fraud related to his 2020 defeat against Democrat Joe Biden, urging his supporters to be vigilant at polling places to detect any alleged fraud.

Judges in both states issued overnight rulings rejecting requests from Missouri and Texas to prevent Justice Department monitors from operating. 

Just before a decision was reached in Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton negotiated an agreement with the Justice Department regarding the conduct of the election monitors.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, also a Republican, filed a lawsuit on Monday alleging that the Justice Department was attempting to “displace state election authorities” by sending monitors to various polling locations in St. Louis. 

However, US District Judge Sarah Pitlyk, a Trump appointee, denied Bailey’s request for a temporary restraining order, stating that “the harms that the state of Missouri anticipates are speculative.”

The Justice Department confirmed that two election monitors would be present at a polling place in St. Louis, which had previously settled a case in 2021 concerning accessibility issues that could hinder voting for individuals with disabilities. 

Under the terms of that settlement, the city’s Board of Election Commissioners agreed to allow the Justice Department to monitor polling places for compliance.

In Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton criticized the Biden administration, accusing it of conducting a “lawless intimidation campaign” by sending federal agents to polling and counting locations without proper authority. 

US District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, also a Trump appointee, noted that he could not issue a temporary restraining order without clarification on the difference between “monitoring” and “observing” on the eve of a crucial election.

Kacsmaryk required the Justice Department to confirm that “no observers” would be present in Texas polling locations but did not issue a restraining order. 

His ruling came shortly after Paxton’s office rescinded its request for such an order, having reached an agreement with the Justice Department.

Under this agreement, Justice Department election monitors would remain outside polling and central counting locations and would adhere to Texas laws that regulate electioneering within 100 feet (30 meters) of those sites. 

Paxton hailed the agreement as a victory, asserting that it ensures Justice Department personnel cannot enter Texas election locations.

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