The Trump Administration plans to observe forthcoming elections in New Jersey and , prompted by appeals from Republican leaders in those states.
The (DOJ) declared it would deploy observers to six counties for the November 4 elections “to ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law.”
“Transparency at the polls leads to confidence in the electoral process, and this Department of Justice is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of election integrity,” stated Attorney General . He added, “We will allocate the necessary resources to guarantee the American populace experiences the fair, free, and transparent elections they merit.”
This decision comes after President Donald Trump’s years-long promotion of conspiracy theories concerning voter fraud, particularly his prominent claim that the 2020 election was rigged.
The announcement has provoked strong criticism from officials in the Democrat-governed states, who have charged the Trump Administration with trying to meddle with the voting process in significant contests.
Below is a breakdown of what to understand regarding these plans.
What is the nature of these elections?
Both the New Jersey and California elections are drawing nationwide interest and possess the potential to influence the power dynamics between Democrats and Republicans.
In California, a proposition is up for a vote that proposes to alter the state’s congressional districts, aiming to benefit Democrats as a countermeasure to Republican gerrymandering in other states. Earlier this summer, Texas Republicans voted to reconfigure their electoral map to establish five additional congressional seats for their party. Should Californian voters endorse Proposition 50, the state would nullify the impact of those seats by creating five new congressional districts favoring Democrats prior to the 2026 midterms.
Consequently, this vote might be instrumental in determining which party holds control of the House following the midterms.
For the New Jersey gubernatorial race, Democrat Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli are vying to succeed departing Gov. Phil Murphy in a highly scrutinized competition that has seen considerable expenditure.
While New Jersey has historically leaned Democratic, Republicans have achieved notable results there in recent years, rendering the gubernatorial election exceptionally tight.
What led to this action?
Election monitoring is a long-established, standard duty of the DOJ, typically undertaken in areas where accusations of voting rights or civil rights infringements have been made. In 2024, the Biden Administration dispatched monitors to , including all significant swing states, to “monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws.”
Nevertheless, Democrats have voiced apprehension regarding the emphasis on states led by Democrats since Trump’s return to office, particularly given that his comeback was partly propelled by conspiracy theories alleging the previous presidential election was fraudulently taken from him.
This choice to oversee these two elections stemmed from requests made by Republican authorities in both states.
Glenn Paulsen, chairman of the New Jersey Republican Party, that Democratic Board of Elections members in one county allegedly prevented the installation of security cameras in a ballot storage facility, and urged DOJ observers to “oversee the receipt and processing of vote-by-mail ballots” in Passaic County. A judicial order mandated a new election for a city council position in that county in 2020 after the initial victor faced allegations of voting fraud.
Subsequently, Corrin Rankin, chairwoman of the California Republican Party, stated that they had gotten “reports of irregularities” and formally asked the DOJ to deploy monitors to five counties.
The DOJ specified that it will station monitors across six counties overall: Los Angeles, Orange, Kern, Riverside, and Fresno in California, along with Passaic in New Jersey.
The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division is overseeing this monitoring initiative.
In a statement, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, from the Civil Rights Division, affirmed: “Transparent election processes and election monitoring are vital instruments for protecting our elections and fostering public confidence in their integrity.”
What is the Democratic response?
Democrats in both New Jersey and California have described the DOJ’s action as an effort to suppress or meddle with the crucial November votes.
California Governor Gavin Newsom went as far as to the Trump Administration of a “setup” and “rigging the election” during an interview with KQED.
Newsom asserted, “They are establishing the premise that once we succeed with Prop. 50, and once there is a Democratic governor in New Jersey — and certainly one in Virginia — they can then imply these elections were somehow fraudulent, rigged against them.” He added, “This is a glimpse into 2026. Everyone, pay attention.”
Newsom further indicated that the presence of federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could potentially intimidate voters.
He stated, “You’re also going to observe ICE being deployed. You’re going to witness these masked individuals from Border Patrol also in proximity to voting booths and polling stations.”
Rusty Hicks, chairman of the California Democratic Party, declared in a statement that “No level of election meddling by the California Republican Party will succeed in silencing the voices of California voters.”
New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin labeled the action as “highly inappropriate” and claimed the DOJ “has not even endeavored to establish a valid justification for its conduct.”
A record of unsubstantiated assertions
Democratic apprehensions concerning the DOJ’s election monitoring initiatives are fueled, at least partially, by the Trump Administration’s frequent unsubstantiated allegations of election fraud.
For an extended period, Trump has advanced baseless assertions of widespread election fraud against his adversaries both prior to and following voting, particularly concentrating on mail-in ballots, without furnishing any proof.
Subsequent to his defeat in the 2020 presidential election, Trump erroneously alleged it was stolen from him, notwithstanding multiple inquiries by his own DOJ, legal actions, and independent research demonstrating the contrary.
Since reassuming power, Trump’s DOJ has initiated lawsuits against six states to obtain private voter data, a move that voting rights organizations contend is part of an endeavor to bolster Trump’s unproven assertions that millions of undocumented immigrants unlawfully cast ballots for Democrats.