Luzerne County among 64 jurisdictions to undergo election monitoring by the U.S. Justice Department

Luzerne County is among 64 jurisdictions in 24 states that will undergo Election Day monitoring by the U.S. Justice Department, the department announced Monday.

The county did not grant permission for federal monitors to be stationed inside polling places, which means agency assessments will be performed outside polling places, said county Chief Solicitor Harry W. Skene. That denial for interior access stemmed from concerns raised by multiple county officials that the presence of monitors inside could be disruptive or create the appearance of intimidation, he said.

Four other Pennsylvania counties also will be monitored in Tuesday’s election, the release said: Berks, Centre, Lehigh and Philadelphia.

In response to an inquiry on why the county was chosen, a Justice Department spokesperson provided this statement: “The decision on when to send election monitors is based upon the facts and circumstances on the ground with respect to a particular jurisdiction in a particular election.”

Depending on the jurisdiction, the monitoring could be primarily focusing on language accessibility, disability accessibility or questions about possible discrimination or intimidation, the spokesperson said.

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has regularly monitored elections in the field throughout the country since passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, with the goal of protecting voter rights, a release said.

The Civil Rights Division enforces federal voting rights laws that “protect the rights of all citizens to access the ballot.” Division personnel will be available throughout Election Day to accept public complaints about possible violations submitted through https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

In addition to personnel from the Civil Rights Division, monitors may include staff from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Office of Personnel Management, the release said, noting the monitors will maintain contact with state and local election officials.

The division’s voting section enforces civil provisions of federal statutes related to voting, including the Voting Rights Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act and Civil Rights Acts. Its disability rights section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure those with disabilities have a “full and equal opportunity to vote.” Finally, its criminal section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion.

Voters should immediately report complaints related to disruption at a polling place to officials in the polling place and local election officials, the department said.

Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911 and then by following up with a report to the Justice Department after local authorities have been contacted, the release said.

Those with questions or complaints related to accessibility for the disabled should contact the department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link at https://www.ada.gov/, it said.