New Haven Bars Federal Election Monitors

Voters in New Haven will cast ballots on Tuesday without federal observers present inside their polling places, according to a dispute between local election officials and the U.S. Department of Justice. City registrars confirmed Thursday that they will follow state law, which does not explicitly grant entry rights to federal election monitors. The Department of Justice plans to send personnel to the city to watch for violations of federal voting rights statutes.

City voter registrars Shannel Evans and Lisa Milone sent an email to the department on Thursday. They stated that Connecticut law limits access to polling locations for local officials, municipal clerks, registrars, voters, and news media. Evans and Milone noted that federal monitors are not included in these allowed groups. They acknowledged the history of federal monitoring but cited a current climate where federal actions might appear to cast doubt on election integrity.

James T. Tucker, a Civil Rights Division attorney, emailed the city last week to announce the plan. Tucker identified himself as the regional coordinator for election monitors in Connecticut. He stated that the observers would only watch and would not interfere with the voting process. The department identified Zachary Denver, an attorney with the Connecticut U.S. Attorney's Office, as the team lead for the monitoring effort.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker supported the registrars' decision in a statement. He described voting as the most precious right in the democracy. Elicker said the city's Democrat and Republican registrars were united in ensuring voters could cast ballots freely and without fear of intimidation. The mayor emphasized that the city would keep polling places safe and secure for all eligible residents.

Connecticut Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas confirmed her office also received a letter from the Justice Department on Thursday. That letter reminded state officials of their legal duty to preserve voter registration forms, ballots, and other election records after a federal election. Thomas said the letter emphasized possible criminal penalties for officials who willfully fail to comply. She noted her office takes these responsibilities seriously and does not wait for letters to act.

Kiersten V. Pels, a Justice Department spokesperson, said the agency will send 1,000 monitors to polling places across all 50 states. Pels stated that monitors will follow state and local laws and will report any potential violations to the department after Election Day. The department said monitors from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosions will serve in the role. A declaration in a related lawsuit stated that FBI and ICE agents will not serve as monitors.

The conflict mirrors actions in Indiana, Kentucky, and Arkansas, where officials also barred federal monitors from entering polling places. The Justice Department has been involved in multiple lawsuits regarding voter data and election procedures. Tucker, the regional coordinator for New Haven, is one of four prosecutors on a lawsuit seeking unredacted voter rolls from Connecticut. A federal judge dismissed that specific lawsuit in July, but the department has appealed the ruling.