The Department of Justice (DOJ) is involved in several civil rights lawsuits and monitoring missions across the country aimed at protecting voter rights.
The DOJ's civil rights division is engaged in active lawsuits in Virginia and Alabama, as well as monitoring operations in Ohio and Alaska, and has been involved in a complaint against the accessibility measures at voting sites in Wisconsin.
Virginia
The DOJ said on October 20 that it was suing the state of Virginia in relation to an executive order signed by the governor on August 7 that required the Department of Elections to conduct "daily updates to the voter list."
These updates include comparing names on the list to people who are not eligible to vote, and people singled out have 14 days to correct their voter registration cancellation.
The DOJ has said that not only does this program target US citizens, but it is also occurring during the 90 day grace period where, per the Quiet Period Provision, states cannot remove people from their voter roles.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said in a press release: "By canceling voter registrations within 90 days of Election Day, Virginia places qualified voters in jeopardy of being removed from the rolls and creates the risk of confusion for the electorate.
"Congress adopted the National Voter Registration Act's quiet period restriction to prevent error-prone, eleventh hour efforts that all too often disenfranchise qualified voters. The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy and the Justice Department will continue to ensure that the rights of qualified voters are protected."
Virginia Commissioner of Elections, Susan Beals, has been contacted via email for comment.
Ohio
The DOJ announced on October 15 via a press release that they would be monitoring compliance with federal voting rights laws in Portage County, Ohio, during the early voting period and on Election Day.
According to the DOJ, voters in the county are worried about surveillance and the collection of their personal information. They are also concerned about threats around the electoral process.
It came after Portage County Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski posted a message to his Facebook page about tracking down voters with Kamala Harris signs in their yard.
The Portage County Board of Elections told Newsweek: "The Portage County Board of Elections is committed to providing free, fair, and transparent elections. We welcome the Department of Justice to observe our election process."
The Portage County Board of Elections also told Newsweek that the DOJ has not provided them with information on why they are under observation.
Wisconsin
The DOJ filed a complaint against the town of Thornapple, Wisconsin, on September 20.
The complaint alleges that the town is not in compliance with Section 301 of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) which mandates voting places to have "at least one voting machine that is accessible to voters with disabilities during federal elections."
This complaint occurred at the same time that the DOJ reached an agreement with the town of Laurence, Wisconsin, regarding an allegation that they violated the same act.
Tom Zelm, supervisor of the Township of Thornapple, told Newsweek that the town is not in a place to comment at this time as they are still in litigation.
Alabama
On September 27 the DOJ announced a suit against the State of Alabama and the secretary of state Wes Allen, challenging a program it alleges is "aimed at removing voters from its election rolls too close to the Nov. 5 general election, in violation of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA)."
On October 16, a federal court in the Northern District of Alabama ordered the state to stop the program.
Allen told Newsweek: "I was elected Secretary of State by the people of Alabama, and it is my Constitutional duty to ensure that only American citizens vote in our elections. As to the question regarding the Department of Justice's lawsuit, this office does not comment on pending litigation where the Secretary of State is a named defendant."
Alaska
The DOJ announced on September 30 via a press release that it will be deploying federal election observers to the Dillingham and Kusilvak Census Areas of Alaska on November 5.
This area of Alaska is home to Yup'ik-speaking voters who are protected under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act.
Section 203 states that people in minority language areas must be given election information in their own language. The DOJ is also beholden to reach out to the community to ensure they are aware of the law being passed.
The DOJ has been contacted via email for further comment on all five cases.
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