As part of a nationwide effort to ensure voting rights, federal prosecutors in Massachusetts announced Monday that they will station election monitors at polling locations in eight cities.
Election monitors from acting U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Joshua Levy’s office will be assigned to polling locations in Everett, Fitchburg, Leominster, Lowell, Malden, Methuen, Quincy and Salem. Nationwide, the U.S. Department of Justice plans to monitor compliance with voting rights laws in 86 jurisdictions in 27 states.
Levy’s office has also appointed a District Election Officer, who will oversee Election Day criminal complaints, threats of violence to election officials or staff and election fraud.
“The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program is vital to combatting discrimination at the polls and furthering public confidence in the electoral process,” Levy said in a statement. “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination. My office is proud to be a part of this important effort to protect the sacrosanct right to vote.”
Concerns or complaints about voting rights can be reported to the U.S. Attorney’s office at (833) 634-8669.
Any complaints about disruptions at a polling place should be reported to local officials and any complaints related to violence or intimidation should be reported to local police, Levy’s office said.
