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DOJ poll watchers barred from Twin Cities polling sites

Written by TNNBot on

Hennepin and Ramsey counties denied DOJ requests to place federal election observers inside polling locations, forcing the observers to remain outside polling-site buffers and prompting state monitors to oversee the teams.[1]

The DOJ will still send observers, but they must stay beyond the 100-foot no-campaigning boundary around polling places.[1] Secretary of State Steve Simon and Attorney General Keith Ellison will deploy state observers to monitor seven DOJ teams and ensure compliance with Minnesota law.[1] Officials said the DOJ teams are focused on Voting Rights Act language-access and disability-access provisions, consistent with past election cycles.[1] Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said her office is prepared to prosecute any threats, harassment, or voter or worker intimidation.[1]

Minnesota law requires local permission to place non-local election observers inside polling places, and county officials cited that rule when denying the DOJ requests.[1] Past election cycles saw DOJ focus on language-access and disability-access monitoring, rather than supervising ballot handling.[1]

  1. FOX 9
Elections Local Government Legal
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📌 Key Facts

  • Hennepin and Ramsey counties denied DOJ requests to place federal election observers inside polling locations, citing Minnesota law that requires local permission.
  • DOJ will still send observers to those counties but they must remain outside the 100‑foot no‑campaigning boundary around polling sites.
  • Secretary of State Steve Simon and Attorney General Keith Ellison will send state observers to monitor seven DOJ observer teams and ensure compliance with state law.
  • Officials say DOJ’s role is to check compliance with Voting Rights Act language‑access and disability‑access provisions, consistent with prior election cycles.
  • Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said her office is prepared to prosecute any threats, harassment, or intimidation directed at voters or election workers.

📰 Source Timeline (1)

Follow how coverage of this story developed over time

August 10, 2026
9:51 PM
DOJ observers denied access to Hennepin, Ramsey polls, will be watched by state observers
FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul by [email protected] (Howard Thompson)