DOJ Sends Observers to Multnomah County as Oregon Warns Against Interference

DOJ Sends Observers to Multnomah County as Oregon Warns Against Interference

Notice Arrives Oct. 22, Multnomah Named for Nov. 3

The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice told the Oregon Secretary of State's office on the afternoon of Oct. 22 that it would send election monitors to Multnomah County on Nov. 3, Election Day. According to OPB, the notice came in an email from division attorney Anelise Powers saying monitors would be present as staff accept and process ballots. The email said the monitors only observe and take notes and do not intrude on the voting process. The number of monitors for the county was not specified.

Oregon's Reply: Secure Elections, No Interference Allowed

Secretary of State Tobias Read said Oregon welcomes observers but drew a firm line. In a statement quoted across Oregon media, he said Oregon's elections are secure, accurate and fair, and observers are welcome to watch the process unfold. He added that it is not legal for the observers or anyone else to interfere with Oregon's elections, even the Department of Justice. Read said the state is prepared, will follow the law, and will make sure the department does the same.

A National Plan of About 1,000, Triple the Last Midterms

The Oregon deployment is part of a far larger national operation. The Statesman Journal reported that the department plans to send around 1,000 monitors around the country, about triple the number deployed in the 2022 midterms and the largest federal push of its kind. NPR reported that Harmeet Dhillon, head of the Civil Rights Division, announced the 1,000-observer goal last month and called it the largest monitoring effort in DOJ history. A department spokesperson, Kiersten Pels, told NPR that the list of jurisdictions would be shared closer to the election.

Competitive Races a Priority, Fifth District in Focus

The department has not given a county-specific reason for choosing Multnomah. OPB, citing the department's comments to NPR, reported that counties with competitive races are prioritized. Oregon's 5th Congressional District, the state's most competitive, includes portions of Multnomah County, where Democratic incumbent Janelle Bynum is favored to win reelection. OPB also reported that King County, Washington, home to Seattle, was notified of monitors for Election Day.

Mail Ballots Out, Drop Boxes Urged as Next Test Nears

The monitors will watch a vote-by-mail system already in motion. The Statesman Journal reported that Oregon ballots have been mailed, must be returned by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3 or postmarked by Election Day, and that Oct. 27 is the last day officials recommend mailing ballots, with Read urging voters to use drop boxes instead. PBS reported that the department says monitors are trained not to interfere and will focus on countering voter intimidation and protecting access, while also noting decisions based on high-population areas, language access, disability access, and races seen as hot spots for intimidation. Newsweek noted the friction elsewhere, including in Minnesota, where a DOJ August announcement said about 20 federal staff would monitor Hennepin and Ramsey counties during the state's Aug. 11 primary; final staffing for the November general election has not been publicly specified. What happens on Nov. 3 in Multnomah County, how close monitors get to ballot processing, and how Oregon enforces its rules will be the next test.