Franklin County elections ready for DOJ monitors

Columbus, Ohio. County board of elections directors across the state have prepared for potential visits from federal election monitors as Election Day approaches. The Department of Justice announced on Nov. 3 that it will deploy 1,000 monitors nationwide.

The DOJ notified Franklin, Medina, and Cuyahoga counties via email that its Civil Rights Division intends to send monitors to those jurisdictions. In Franklin County, federal monitors are not permitted inside polling locations. They may stand 100 feet from the entrance and speak with voters who have left the polls.

Election law expert Bill Rich noted that Ohio law severely limits who can be present in a voting location. Rich stated that these monitors do not have statutory authority to preempt state law, though directors can choose to allow them inside.

This practice has occurred in Cuyahoga County in past years. Monitors work in plain clothes, observe election activities, document potential violations of federal voting laws, and raise concerns with officials. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, only registered Ohio voters can serve as election observers.

Observers must apply to the county board of elections before observing. They can watch proceedings at the polls and ballot counting, as well as the certification of returns. If an observer identifies an issue, they contact a county board of elections official outside the voting area.