The Justice Department is deploying roughly 1,000 election monitors and observers across all 50 states on Tuesday, the largest such effort in its history.

The move, announced by the Civil Rights Division, aims to ensure compliance with federal voting laws.

"Today, the DOJ will further this mission by engaging in its largest monitoring effort in history — with approximately 1,000 election monitors and observers deployed, and, for the first time, in all 50 states," the department said in a statement.

Officials say the monitors will focus on competitive races and areas with past voting issues, staying in contact with local election workers throughout the day. The deployment is roughly triple the number sent during the last midterm elections.

“Election integrity has been one of the top priorities for this Administration and this Division,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. “I am very proud we are deploying the largest monitoring effort in DOJ history, and pursuing transparency for elections in an assertive and nondiscriminatory manner.”

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Democrats and civil rights groups have already framed the expanded presence as an attempt to intimidate voters. 

Critics, including the NAACP, have gone to court arguing the presence of federal personnel could deter people from casting ballots. One has to wonder where they've been, as the New Black Panther Party announced plans for armed patrols at Georgia polling places as recently as last midterms.

House Judiciary Democrats, led by Ranking Members Jamie Raskin and Joseph Morelle, have already opened an investigation into the monitoring program, citing “aggressive, unexpected, and disruptive” conduct by DOJ monitors during Wyoming’s primary.

And of course, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has panicked about election oversight efforts, threatening to criminalize ballot monitoring.

Democrat Rep. Grace Meng (NY-6), upon hearing of the new push to ensure election integrity, raged against it on X.

“Free and fair elections require voters to cast ballots without intimidation. Federal monitors must protect that right — not undermine it. Democrats will fight to ensure every eligible vote is counted. The DOJ must answer for any interference," she fumed.

Some polling places have even posted warning signs warning federal officials to bugger off.

In reality, the DOJ has utilized election monitors since 1965 across all administrations.

"One of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) most important missions is ensuring election integrity, supporting free and fair elections, and protecting the right to vote for U.S. citizens across the United States," the department said.

Dhillon has previously defended the expanded monitoring effort. She explained that it is routine for the department to observe polling sites and that it helps repair existing distrust from voting irregularities. 

The push comes as the Justice Department this week announced charges against 63 people in election-related cases, many involving noncitizens accused of illegal voting or falsely claiming citizenship. 

It also follows earlier deployments, such as monitors sent to Detroit and other Michigan cities during the August primaries over longstanding fraud concerns in those jurisdictions.

The expanded monitoring effort, paired with new election-related prosecutions, has been long overdue.