Minnesota officials advise voters as Justice Department sends seven teams to monitor primary

Jeff Day, Star Tribune on Aug 10, 2026

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Local law enforcement leaders are providing guidance to Minnesota voters as the Trump administration sends seven teams from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to monitor polling locations during Tuesday’s primary.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a statement that “out of an abundance of caution” his office will be monitoring the federal monitors.

“Because these DOJ observers have monitored elections in Minnesota and other states in previous years without incident, including Michigan just last week, we do not expect any violations of the law,” Ellison said.

He added, “I strongly encourage every Minnesotan who is eligible to joyfully exercise their right to vote tomorrow.”

The Department of Justice announced the decision earlier this summer and said sending election monitors is a routine practice that’s been done under both Democratic and Republican administrations.

“What we hope to do here is increase voter confidence, make sure there are no language barriers or access to voting for Americans with disabilities,” the DOJ’s Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon said in a video announcing the monitors in July.

At the time of the announcement, some Minnesota Democrats questioned the Trump administration’s motives.

“Trump’s DOJ monitoring elections is like a fox monitoring a henhouse,“ Gov. Tim Walz said on X. ”We cannot allow our right to vote to be undermined by political interference. Every state must administer their elections free from unlawful federal intrusion.”

In July, President Trump posted on his Truth Social account that Minnesota’s elections were rigged and said, “I thought I won it all three times, only to be disappointed in the end.”

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said in a statement that it had denied the Justice Department’s request to have monitors inside polling stations in the county and the DOJ had agreed to have monitors remain 100 yards from any polling location.

Those monitors are “expected to be DOJ staff in plainclothes” and they may attempt to interview voters after they cast ballots on Tuesday, the County Attorney’s Office said, adding that participating in those interviews is voluntary.

The statement added that the Justice Department was planning to monitor sites in Minneapolis, Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center, “but may monitor polling places in other cities.”

“Our office is fully prepared to protect and defend your right to vote,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said. “Any reports of threats, harassment, or intimidation directed at voters or election workers will be reviewed and, if appropriate, prosecuted.”

She added that election monitors and other members of the public cannot: interfere with a voter’s ability to enter a polling place; order election judges to take any action; or interfere with the “operations, administration, management, or activities of a polling place.”

Ellison hailed Minnesota’s voting record as being the best in the nation with the highest turnout in the country.

Polls open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday morning.

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