Justice Department Plans to Send Election Monitors to Adams County for Nov. 3 Vote

The U.S. Department of Justice intends to send election monitors to Adams County, Colorado, on Nov. 3, according to a letter dated Oct. 21 and sent to the state's secretary of state. The letter was written by the regional coordinator assigned to supervise monitors in Colorado and addressed to Adams County Clerk Josh Zygielbaum.

The letter says the department's Civil Rights Division will carry out the monitoring as it has in the past and describes the monitors' role as limited. "Our monitors only observe and take notes," it states. Monitors are to introduce themselves to the poll manager and show government identification. If a jurisdiction wants each monitor identified, they will also present a letter naming them and permitting them into the polls.

According to the letter, monitors follow all state and local rules and dress in business casual clothing. Uniforms and pins identifying them as Justice Department staff are not allowed. They do not speak with voters inside polling places and may not carry firearms, even in states that permit open carry. If a monitor sees a problem, they notify their team lead, who or the regional coordinator may then contact the jurisdiction's designee.

The division will hold a Microsoft Teams meeting with each monitored jurisdiction to explain its effort and discuss any specific concerns. The letter gives the example of checking compliance with the minority language provisions of the Voting Rights Act where a jurisdiction is covered by them. More broadly, monitors look for compliance with federal voting laws under the division's authority, including the Voting Rights Act, the National Voter Registration Act, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act, the Civil Rights Act and the Help America Vote Act, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The letter does not say how many monitors will be sent, which polling places they will visit or why Adams County was selected.

Alton Dillard, a Denver7 political analyst, said outside observers are not unusual. In his nearly two decades working with Denver Elections, he said, people from across the country and from other nations came to watch, and Justice Department observers have been common since the Help America Vote Act followed the 2000 election. That the visit is making news, he said, "shows how elevated the environment is these days." He added that voters have a right to be concerned but nothing to fear, since observers are there only to watch.

Matt Crane, executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association, said clerks had been preparing for observers to seek access in Colorado and in Adams County in particular. He said he would have bet on the county being chosen, given that it sits in Congressional District 8 and has a Democratic clerk. He criticized the current administration's attitude toward election administration and said his group is keeping an eye on the matter, though he is confident there will be no problems. He said Coloradans should feel comfortable with the process and noted that anyone can tour a county's election operations.

Zygielbaum said Adams County has a record of following all statutes and has never had an accessibility problem. He said he helped write Colorado legislation that expanded language and disability access. His only surprise, he said, was that Adams County was the only county in the district singled out. District 8 also includes Weld County and part of Larimer County. "If I was on the federal side and I was truly interested in making sure the election in CD-8 ran well, I would be in all three counties," he said.

Zygielbaum said he believes Adams County, which leans more Democratic and has a large share of Spanish-speaking voters, was a prime target. "I do think that this is politically motivated," he said. He added that he and his team are ready and urged voters not to be concerned, noting that Colorado residents who are U.S. citizens, at least 18 and not currently incarcerated for a felony have the right to vote.