Federal election monitors will be at polling places across the country, Tuesday. One thousand poll watchers will be part of what’s been called the “largest monitoring effort” ever by the Department of Justice.
Government poll watchers are not uncommon, but the size of the operation is. During the 2022 midterm elections, the DOJ sent 338 monitors to polling locations. The Department did not specify a reason for the increased effort.
Monitors will reportedly be checking for compliance with federal laws such as the National Voter Registration Act, the Voting Rights Act, the Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
But, as President Donald Trump has repeated denied the results of the 2020 general election, and claimed without evidence that fraud is widespread, critics are concerned about the increased monitoring effort.
Three Ohio counties, Cuyahoga, Franklin, and Medina, and two Kentucky counties, Franklin and Jefferson, were among the first locations identified. Indiana's Lake and Marion counties were included on the list as well.
In Cincinnati, Hamilton County Elections Director Sherry Poland acknowledges there are worries ICE agents could be at some polling locations too.
“It’s against federal law for an armed federal agent to be inside a polling place,” she says. “And Ohio election law also limits who may be in a polling place. So we feel like we’re in a really good position.”
She made her comments at a county commissioners meeting, October 20, 2026.
“The Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office is our legal counsel to the Board of Elections,” she says. “We have two assistant prosecutors that are assigned to the Board and we’ve confirmed they’ll both be on site at the Board of
Elections in case we need immediate legal guidance on election day.”
Poland says they can always rely on the Ohio Secretary of State's office for assistance and advice too.
She says local police departments are required by state law to have response plans. Poll workers have all been trained on what to do if anyone tries to interrupt voting.
Early, in-person voting in Ohio ended at 5 p.m., Sunday, November 1. All absentee ballots must be returned to the local election board by 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, November 3.
Polls in Ohio are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
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