Midterms 2026: Polling Sites To Have Thousands Of Monitors Between Dems, DOJ

The upcoming midterms feel like one of the most important midterm elections of my lifetime. Clearly, the consequences aren’t lost on either party, as thousands of poll monitors are expected to be deployed at voting sites this year. 

AP reports that Democrats and several voting rights watchdog groups are expected to deploy hundreds of monitors to polling sites on Election Day next month. These efforts are largely in response to plans by the Department of Justice to send at least 1,000 poll monitors to polling sites across the country. 

Groups such as Common Cause and the American Civil Liberties Union have joined with state Democratic parties, congressional leaders, and other activist groups to train poll monitors on what to look for on Election Day. This is in addition to several Democratic governors, mayors, and attorneys general holding tabletop exercises for worst-case scenarios such as a surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at polling sites, or ballots and voting equipment being seized. 

“We’ve never done this before,” Jane Kleeb, vice chair of the DNC, told AP about the party’s efforts ahead of the midterms. But “we’ve never had to deal with the president of the United States saying that he may seize ballots, put ICE agents outside polling locations and other kinds of very clear direct threats to the voting process.”

The fact that state legislators have to effectively conduct war games in the event of a sitting president trying to actively derail an election goes to show how absurd American politics has become.

The story going into the midterms was that nationwide redistricting efforts would make this one of the least competitive races in decades, but reality has shown otherwise. For the first time in decades, seats in deep Red districts are in play as the American public grows increasingly disillusioned with Trump and the GOP at large. 

Trump’s historic unpopularity is hurting the GOP, which is seen at best as unwilling to check on his worst impulses, and at worst, indulging them. Considering that Texas, which has long functioned as a Republican stronghold, is in play for a Senate seat even after an abhorrent redistricting effort just shows how bad things are for the GOP. 

Given the piss poor outlook for Republicans this November, there’s heightened concern that the Trump administration will double down on efforts to interfere with the election and cast doubt on the results. Hell, even half of voters believe that Republicans will try to overturn the election if it doesn’t go their way. Hence why the DNC and so many activists are preemptively preparing to play defense. 

White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis blamed “radical Democrats” for stoking fears about election security by refusing to pass the SAVE Act and similar Republican-backed restrictions on voting. “President Trump has done more than any other president to ensure we have free and fair elections,” Bis said.

Dude tried to force the United States Postal Service to withhold mail-in ballots in states that didn’t play along with his attempts to federalize elections, but go off Lauren. 

It’s worth noting that even some Republican governors have expressed concern about the DOJ’s plan after having a negative experience with polling monitors who arrived at a polling site with no advance notice. 

So while the DOJ will undoubtedly be a presence at polling sites during the midterms, I’m somewhat glad that there will be people in place to watch the watchmen. I’m just sad that it’s something we need to begin with. 

SEE ALSO:

DOJ Asks Washington To Withhold 400 Ballots Over Voter Fraud Claims

DOJ Files Marijuana Trafficking Charges Against L. Louise Lucas