Cities and counties prepare for possible federal interference in midterm elections - Mobility and smart cities

Local officials are training poll workers, coordinating with civil rights groups and preparing legal responses as concerns extend from Election Day to ballot counting, canvassing and certification.

Cities and counties across the United States are preparing for possible federal interference in Tuesday’s midterm elections. State and local officials have been training poll workers on how to respond if federal agents appear at voting locations.

The U.S. Department of Justice said Oct. 29 that Immigration and Customs Enforcement and FBI agents would not serve as poll monitors. However, court documents indicate that agents from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration will do so.

More than 200 jurisdictions have been working with the nonprofit Public Rights Project’s Election Protection Hub on legal guidance and contingency planning, according to Jennifer Holmes, the hub’s director. The preparations include determining who will be responsible for interacting with federal agents. Holmes said concerns have emerged in jurisdictions of different political affiliations and sizes.

In Chicago, local civil rights groups said they were deploying trained lawyers, “Know Your Rights” experts, poll monitors and accredited poll watchers. Their role includes identifying potential problems, assisting voters, documenting concerns and connecting election officials with voting rights organizations when intervention is necessary.

The preparations come as federal and local authorities continue to clash over ballot procedures. On Oct. 28, U.S. District Judge David Carter rejected the DOJ’s request for a restraining order that would have stopped several California counties from processing ballots the department said might have been cast by noncitizens. The DOJ had questioned the validity of 20,000 ballots in Los Angeles County this month.

The Department of Justice has appealed the ruling. Holmes said election officials and advocacy groups are also preparing for possible interference after polls close, when ballots must be counted, canvassed and certified.

The Democratic Mayors Association urged mayors to be prepared to protect voting rights and ensure that eligible voters can cast ballots and have them counted. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, also highlighted the work of local election officials and more than 650,000 professional and volunteer election workers, particularly as misinformation threatens public confidence in the process.

Sources: Smart Cities Dive.