All articles tagged with #polling places
The Department of Justice will deploy election observers for Minnesota’s primary, but Hennepin and Ramsey counties denied access to polling locations. DOJ observers must stay outside the 100-foot boundary, while Minnesota officials will deploy state observers to monitor the federal observers and ensure compliance with state law and voter access at polling sites.
Two ICE agents confronted a Syracuse poll worker during a primary voting site visit, warning her to remove a social-media post about an ICE agent involved in a Minnesota shooting; New York Attorney General Letitia James is reviewing the incident. The confrontation did not disrupt voting, but officials warn it could chill election workers and stoke fears of federal interference as debates over deploying federal agents to polling places continue.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin will introduce the Protect Our Polls Act to prohibit the president from deploying armed military members or federal agents to polling sites without congressional authorization, aiming to prevent interference in elections; the bill has Democratic backing and would codify existing prohibitions against such actions.
As Tennessee Republicans redraw the state’s congressional map, they also move to remove the requirement that voters be mailed or newspaper-notified about polling-place changes, instead relying on website postings. Critics warn this could sow confusion and suppress turnout, especially in Black communities affected by redistricting around Memphis, while supporters argue the change saves costs and streamlines elections.
Dallas County voters were perplexed on primary day after Republicans ended countywide vote centers and Democrats followed suit, returning to precinct-based polling; despite efforts by election navigators and warnings, many went to the wrong polling sites. Democrats briefly won a court-ordered extension of voting hours, though the order was later stayed by the Texas Supreme Court. Similar shifts occurred in Williamson and Eastland counties, illustrating ongoing tensions over election administration and voter access.
Texas Supreme Court blocked a district court’s order extending Dallas County polling hours to 9 p.m., ordering votes cast after 7 p.m. to be separated and not counted for now, leaving the county’s primary tally in limbo as legal challenges continue.
Hundreds of voters in the Dallas area were turned away from polling locations on Election Day amid confusion over new rules that require ballots to be cast at assigned precincts. Dallas County extended voting hours by two hours after a court order, with Democratic precincts staying open until 10 p.m. ET, while most of Texas closes earlier. Officials urged voters to verify their polling location before heading out, as lawmakers and candidates criticized the changes and warned the disruption could affect the election outcome.
Democratic voters in Dallas and Williamson Counties faced confusion after Republicans refused to hold a joint primary, forcing a switch from countywide to precinct-only voting and sending voters to specific polling places where many were turned away. Democrats and candidates criticized the change as suppressive and called for extended voting hours, with a district judge ordering Dallas County’s Democratic primary to run until 9 p.m.
A Department of Homeland Security official says federal immigration agents will not be stationed at polling places during the upcoming midterm elections, aiming to reassure voters that immigration enforcement won’t interfere with the voting process.
A DHS deputy assistant secretary told state election chiefs on a nationwide call that Immigration and Customs Enforcement will not be at polling sites this year, aiming to quell concerns about federal immigration operations at voting locations; the statement came amid questions from officials about federal involvement in state-administered elections, and was made during a call that included several federal agencies.
Non-credible bomb threats that temporarily disrupted voting at two polling places in Georgia were traced back to Russia, according to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. The threats led to the temporary closure of polling sites in Union City, a predominantly Black area, prompting officials to seek extended voting hours. The FBI is involved but has not confirmed the credibility of the threats. Raffensperger suggested the threats were intended to disrupt the election process.
GOP officials in Missouri, Texas, and Florida have attempted to block the Justice Department from sending observers into polling places, a practice aimed at ensuring compliance with federal voting rights laws. Missouri and Texas filed lawsuits, arguing state laws prohibit federal presence at polling sites. Federal judges denied Missouri's request for a restraining order, while Texas reached an agreement allowing DOJ monitors to remain outside polling places. The DOJ's monitoring efforts, which include ensuring compliance with the Voting Rights Act, have been a longstanding practice.
Hinds County in Mississippi moved two polling places just hours before the party primaries for statewide, legislative, and county offices. The Pinehaven precinct was moved from Sumner Hill Jr. High School to the Clinton Fire Station, while Precinct 01 was moved from the Eudora Welty Library to the Old Capitol Inn. The reasons for the sudden changes were not provided, and election officials did not have enough time to notify voters. This comes as part of a larger trend of changes to voting precincts across the state, with a total of 163 changes since the 2022 general election.