DOJ deploying 1,000 election monitors nationwide, including Illinois counties

(WAND) – The Justice Department will monitor polling locations in five Illinois counties throughout the day Tuesday.

This year, 1,000 election monitors will be deployed across all 50 states. Cook, Champaign, Sangamon, St. Clair and Madison counties are among the monitored sites in Illinois.

“I am very proud we are deploying the largest monitoring effort in DOJ history, and pursuing transparency for elections in an assertive and nondiscriminatory manner,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

Monitors will check for compliance with federal voting rights statutes, ensure voters with disabilities have equal access at polling places and watch for voter intimidation or suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion.

The monitoring teams include personnel from the Civil Rights Division, other department branches, U.S. attorneys’ offices and federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management. Federal officials said monitors will remain in contact with state and local election administrators throughout the day.

The Civil Rights Division will also take public questions and complaints regarding voting rights violations. Reports can be submitted by phone at 800-253-3931, by email at VEM@usdoj.gov , or through the Justice Department’s website.

For complaints related to the Americans with Disabilities Act, voters can submit reports online at ada.gov or by calling 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264.