LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Friday it plans to monitor dozens of jurisdictions across 27 states on Election Day, including two counties in Kentucky.
The department will monitor 86 jurisdictions across the nation for compliance with federal voting rights laws on Election Day.
Jefferson County -- the largest county in Kentucky which includes the majority of Louisville -- will be monitored by the DOJ on Nov. 5 to ensure voting rights laws are being upheld.
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Kenton County, which is located in northern Kentucky near Cincinnati and includes Covington and Independence, will also be monitored by the federal government on Election Day.
The DOJ's Civil Rights Division is coordinating this election security effort. Personnel from the Civil Rights Division, other department divisions, U.S. Attorney’s Offices and federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management will act as election monitors.
Throughout Election Day, division personnel will maintain contact with state and local election officials.
In a Team Kentucky update Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear reiterated that Kentucky's voting process is secure, citing his time as attorney general and running the state's Election Integrity Unit for four years.
"I know [it's secure] because of the experience of the past years and because you’ve heard from Democrats and Republicans that this system is secure and that everyone’s vote will be cast," he added.
Beshear announced the Kentucky Emergency Management’s (KEM) statewide emergency operation center will also be open on Election Day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. to help provide local officials with extra resources if any issues or concerns come up.
“This is not because we foresee issues in Kentucky, rather, it’s we want to be fully prepared and ready – that’s our job,” he said. "We’ll be working closely with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General’s office – these are entirely separate functions, they do not duplicate any of the important work that those two offices do, but it means that we will be as prepared as we’ve ever been in an election if anything arises.”
The 86 jurisdictions being monitored by the DOJ on Election Day:
- Bethel Census Area, Alaska;
- Dillingham Census Area, Alaska;
- Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska;
- North Slope Borough, Alaska;
- Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska;
- Apache County, Arizona;
- Maricopa County, Arizona;
- Pima County, Arizona;
- Yuma County, Arizona;
- San Joaquin County, California;
- Broward County, Florida;
- Miami-Dade County, Florida;
- Orange County, Florida;
- Osceola County, Florida;
- Cobb County, Georgia;
- DeKalb County, Georgia;
- Fulton County, Georgia;
- Gwinnett County, Georgia;
- Macon-Bibb County, Georgia;
- Jefferson County, Kentucky;
- Kenton County, Kentucky;
- City of Everett, Massachusetts;
- City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts;
- City of Leominster, Massachusetts;
- City of Lowell, Massachusetts;
- City of Malden, Massachusetts;
- City of Methuen, Massachusetts;
- City of Quincy, Massachusetts;
- City of Salem, Massachusetts;
- Prince George’s County, Maryland;
- City of Ann Arbor, Michigan;
- City of Detroit, Michigan;
- City of Flint, Michigan;
- City of Grand Rapids, Michigan;
- City of Hamtramck, Michigan;
- City of Warren, Michigan;
- Hennepin County, Minnesota;
- City of Minneapolis, Minnesota;
- Ramsey County, Minnesota;
- Covington County, Mississippi;
- Scott County, Mississippi;
- Warren County, Mississippi;
- City of St. Louis, Missouri;
- Blaine County, Montana;
- Alamance County, North Carolina;
- Mecklenburg County, North Carolina;
- Wake County, North Carolina;
- Bergen County, New Jersey;
- Middlesex County, New Jersey;
- Union County, New Jersey;
- Bernalillo County, New Mexico;
- Cibola County, New Mexico;
- Clark County, Nevada;
- Queens, New York;
- Cuyahoga County, Ohio;
- Portage County, Ohio;
- Allegheny County, Pennsylvania;
- Luzerne County, Pennsylvania;
- Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania;
- City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island;
- City of Providence, Rhode Island;
- City of Woonsocket, Rhode Island;
- Charleston County, South Carolina;
- Bennett County, South Dakota;
- Jackson County, South Dakota;
- Minnehaha County, South Dakota;
- Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota;
- Atascosa County, Texas;
- Bexar County, Texas;
- Dallas County, Texas;
- Frio County, Texas;
- Harris County, Texas;
- Hays County, Texas;
- Palo Pinto County, Texas;
- Waller County, Texas;
- San Juan County, Utah;
- Hanover County, Virginia;
- Henrico County, Virginia;
- Loudoun County, Virginia;
- City of Manassas, Virginia;
- City of Manassas Park, Virginia;
- Prince William County, Virginia;
- Town of Lawrence (Rusk County), Wisconsin;
- City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin;
- Town of Thornapple, Wisconsin; and
- City of Wausau, Wisconsin.
