WASHINGTON — One of the key issues liberals flag as a highlight of Attorney General Eric Holder's tenure is his work on voting issues — a legacy he aims to continue on Tuesday when the Justice Department stations election monitors in 18 states across the country.
Holder, in a statement Monday, said of the effort, "Over the last few months, leaders from the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division have received information from a wide variety of citizens and groups. Based upon our independent and non-partisan consideration and expertise, we have dispatched federal monitors to polling places around the country — just as we do during every election season."
The Justice Department has regularly taken such action since the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the department noted in an accompanying release.
On the monitors' actions, Holder said in the statement, "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."
The Justice Department will be on the ground Tuesday to monitor polling places in 28 jurisdictions:
- Maricopa County, Arizona;
- Alameda County, California;
- Napa County, California;
- Duval County, Florida;
- Hillsborough County, Florida;
- Lee County, Florida;
- Orange County, Florida;
- Fulton County, Georgia;
- Gwinnett County, Georgia;
- Chicago, Illinois;
- Finney County, Kansas;
- Robeson County, North Carolina;
- Colfax County, Nebraska;
- Douglas County, Nebraska;
- Bergen County, New Jersey;
- Cibola County, New Mexico;
- Orange County, New York;
- Cuyahoga County, Ohio;
- Hamilton County, Ohio;
- Lorain County, Ohio;
- Lehigh County, Pennsylvania;
- Richland County, South Carolina;
- Charles Mix County, South Dakota;
- Shannon County; South Dakota;
- Shelby County, Tennessee;
- Harris County, Texas;
- Waller County, Texas; and
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Attorney General Holder's message:
