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Federal election monitors plan to stay outside Adams County voting centers on Election Day after the Trump administration's Justice Department rejected Colorado's conditions for entering.

Why it matters: The standoff comes as concerns grow about federal interference in elections — and in a county that's part of Colorado's fiercely competitive 8th Congressional District race, where the outcome could help determine control of the U.S. House.

Driving the news: Secretary of State Jena Griswold told the U.S. Justice Department on Thursday that its four monitors could enter Adams County voting centers only if accompanied by state-appointed observers.

The monitors also would be barred from speaking with voters, accessing voting equipment or interfering with election operations.

The DOJ rejected those conditions, saying its monitors would instead adhere to a state law that requires unauthorized observers to stay at least 100 feet from voting centers, according to its response shared by Griswold's office.

What she's saying: "Ultimately, Coloradans are a little bit on edge," Griswold told Axios in an interview. "So [we are] making sure that we have really good oversight on any type of DOJ representative that would be in a voting center."

The other side: "State or local approval is not required for department monitoring," DOJ spokesperson Kiersten Pels told Axios, adding that federal monitors follow state and local polling place rules.

Catch up quick: Griswold amended election rules Oct. 9, requiring federal monitors to obtain state approval before entering voting centers.

The DOJ's stated focus includes making sure Spanish-speaking voters have access to bilingual ballots and language assistance.

Between the lines: Adams County Clerk Josh Zygielbaum, a Democrat, has questioned the administration's motives, warning that the federal presence could intimidate voters.

About half of Adams County voters wait until Election Day to vote, Zygielbaum told Colorado Politics, potentially putting monitors near voting centers during their busiest hours.

Zoom out: Federal election monitoring has long been used to enforce voting rights laws, but the Trump administration's plans have sparked disputes over election rules in states including Wyoming and Minnesota.

What's next: It's unclear how much federal monitors will be able to observe from outside voting centers on Nov. 3.

Griswold warned that voter intimidation and interference are also illegal outside voting centers and pledged to take reports "seriously."

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DOJ election monitors will stay 100 feet from Adams County voting centers

The Justice Department says its monitors will stay outside polling places.

Animated illustration of an "I Voted" sticker. The flag and the words "I Voted" consolidate into a pupil, which moves around the oval sticker like an eye. The eye blinks before the pupil changes back.

Photo illustration of President Donald Trump looking over his shoulder at a tiny voter at a voting booth

Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Calla Kessler/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Federal <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="election monitors" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/10/22/trump-doj-election-monitors-colorado-adams-douglas-counties" data-vars-content-id="4f2c7d5d-6c9c-411e-980d-c545712b8fa9" data-vars-headline="DOJ election monitors will stay 100 feet from Adams County voting centers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/10/22/trump-doj-election-monitors-colorado-adams-douglas-counties" target="_self">election monitors</a> plan to stay outside Adams County voting centers on Election Day after the Trump administration&#x27;s Justice Department rejected Colorado&#x27;s conditions for entering.Why it matters: The standoff comes as <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="concerns grow" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/10/26/colorado-poll-security-intimidiation-trump-protection" data-vars-content-id="4f2c7d5d-6c9c-411e-980d-c545712b8fa9" data-vars-headline="DOJ election monitors will stay 100 feet from Adams County voting centers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/10/26/colorado-poll-security-intimidiation-trump-protection" target="_self">concerns grow</a> about federal interference in elections — and in a county that&#x27;s part of Colorado&#x27;s fiercely competitive <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="8th Congressional District race" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/10/21/8th-district-greeley-interviews-rutinel-evans" data-vars-content-id="4f2c7d5d-6c9c-411e-980d-c545712b8fa9" data-vars-headline="DOJ election monitors will stay 100 feet from Adams County voting centers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/10/21/8th-district-greeley-interviews-rutinel-evans" target="_self">8th Congressional District race</a>, where the outcome could help determine control of the U.S. House.

Politics

Big Brother comes in many shapes and sizes.

Why it matters: You might pass some of these cameras every day without knowing what they're capturing.

Zoom in: Here's how to spot the technology Colorado law enforcement agencies use to track vehicles, investigate crimes, monitor traffic and respond to emergencies.

Pro tip: Denver's public map shows where the city's license plate readers and H.A.L.O. cameras are installed.

Triptych of outdoor solar installations on poles: left shows a tilted solar panel beside a road; center close-up of a panel and cables on a utility pole; right a tall angled panel against a blue sky.

From left to right: An Axon license plate reader, a Flock license plate reader and a Rekor license plate reader. Photos: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images; Charles-McClintock Wilson/NurPhoto via Getty Images; City of Greenwood Village

📸 Roadside readers: Scan license plates and record vehicle details, including when and where cars pass

Quadcopter drone rests on a blue circular Brinc testing platform with QR-like markings; side panels show black-and-white stripes, all on a concrete outdoor pad.

A Brinc drone used by Greenwood Village's police department. Photo: Courtesy of the City of Greenwood Village

🚁 Drones: Search for suspects, document crime scenes and, in some communities, respond to emergencies before officers arrive

Two urban street scenes with surveillance cameras on tall poles: left shows a white camera housing by a crosswalk and pedestrians; right shows a tall pole with multiple cameras and a warning sign.

H.A.L.O. (High Activity Location Observation) cameras used by the Denver Police Department. Photos: Andy Cross/The Denver Post via Getty Images; James Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images

👁️ H.A.L.O. (High Activity Location Observation) street cameras: Monitor city streets and help investigate crashes and crimes

Mobile solar-powered camera tower on a trailer with solar panels, overlooking an industrial yard at sunset.

A mobile security unit from LVT. Photo: Courtesy of LVT

👀 Mobile surveillance towers: Provide temporary video monitoring

Two-panel street scene: left shows cars queued at an intersection with a green light and camera poles; right shows a red pedestrian hand signal, sidewalk, and railing.

Cameras near Sixth Avenue, Speer Boulevard and Lincoln Street in Denver. Images via Google Street View

🚦 Traffic and red-light cameras: Monitor intersections, help investigate crashes and, depending on the system, document red-light violations

How to spot police surveillance cams in Colorado

Close-up of a gray dome security camera on a metal pole with wiring, against a bright sky and blurred urban buildings in the background.

A H.A.L.O. (High Activity Location Observation) camera used by the Denver Police Department. Photo: Andy Cross/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Big Brother comes in many shapes and sizes.Why it matters: You might pass some of these cameras every day without knowing what they&#x27;re capturing.

News

Your phone knows the clocks fall back an hour at 2am Sunday. Your brain — not so much.

Why it matters: Changing the clock can leave your body feeling jet-lagged — without ever leaving Colorado.

Yes, but: A few small tweaks can ease the transition, Renske Lok, a circadian biologist at the University of Colorado Boulder who studies the body's internal clock, tells Axios.

🛌 Start tonight. Shift your bedtime and wake-up time back by 10–12 minutes a day to give your internal clock a head start.

👶 Parents, beware. Babies and young kids don't understand the shift to standard time, so a 6am wake-up call could become 5am.

💤 Don't count on bonus sleep. Data from Oura users shows they slept less overall the week after the 2024 fall time change, despite gaining an hour.

☀️ Chase the morning Sun. Getting outside early helps your body adjust.

The intrigue: Our internal clocks run slightly longer than a day — about 24.2 hours, Lok says.

That makes falling back easier than springing forward, since we're naturally better at stretching our days than condensing them.

🦌 Threat level: Earlier sunsets may mean more wildlife crossing highways during evening commutes.

Colorado state troopers responded to more than 3,900 wildlife crashes last year, with October through December being the peak season, according to the Colorado State Patrol.

Slow down and scan roadsides, especially around dusk and dawn, officials advise.

What we're watching: Colorado lawmakers passed a law in 2022 to make daylight saving time permanent, but it's on hold pending federal approval and other states' action.

The bottom line: Lok agrees it's time to stop changing the clocks. But if she had her way, she'd keep us on standard time, where earlier winter sunrises better align with our biological clocks.

How to hack the time change

Time change brings groggy mornings and more deer during evening commutes.

Green retro alarm clock tucked under a purple and yellow checkered blanket between two pink pillows on a purple bed, showing the time as 10:10.

Your phone knows the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="clocks fall back" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/30/time-change-fall-back-2025" data-vars-content-id="b7663ce5-655b-43eb-81a6-180712ce3d34" data-vars-headline="How to hack the time change" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/30/time-change-fall-back-2025" target="_self">clocks fall back</a> an hour at 2am Sunday. Your brain — not so much.Why it matters: Changing the clock can leave your body feeling jet-lagged — without ever leaving Colorado.

A prescription for birdwatching? Doctor's orders to do some gardening? 

It might not be as far-fetched as it sounds.

The big picture: A new study co-authored by a University of Colorado Boulder researcher suggests spending time in nature can fight loneliness — even if you go it alone.

Why it matters: With 1 in 6 people worldwide experiencing loneliness, researchers are looking for remedies that go beyond traditional medical care.

What they did: The study, published this month in The Lancet Regional Health, followed 320 adults experiencing loneliness in Barcelona, Spain.

Half participated in weekly two-hour group outings to parks and gardens and other nature-based activities for nine weeks.

The rest received recommendations for free, accessible outdoor activities they could do on their own.

What they found: Loneliness scores dropped an average of 10.5% after three months and nearly 17% after a year across both groups.

Group outings were especially effective for participants who started out lonelier or with poorer emotional well-being. 

The intrigue: Researchers found no significant overall difference between the two approaches.

What they're saying: Nature's sights, sounds and smells can help people relax and connect with others, professor Jill Litt, who co-authored the study, told CU Boulder Today.

As some participants put it: "Nature doesn't judge you."

What's next: Litt hopes to bring similar trials to the U.S., with an eye toward eventually getting insurance to cover community garden memberships, birdwatching clubs and other outdoor activities.

The bottom line: Turns out, "go touch grass" might someday be doctor's orders.

Nature could be the prescription for loneliness

A new study suggests a doctor's note to do some gardening might not be as far-fetched as it sounds.

Illustration of a pile of dirt with a heart shaped plant sprouting from it.

A prescription for birdwatching? Doctor&#x27;s orders to do some gardening? <ul><li>It might not be as far-fetched as it sounds.</li></ul>

Flock has become the boogeyman of police surveillance, with Colorado communities increasingly ditching its license plate-reading cameras over privacy concerns.

Why it matters: Some are swapping Flock for competing technology, preserving the capabilities that sparked the backlash in the first place.

State of play: As the Nov. 3 election approaches, candidates are being pressed to take a stand on the future of police surveillance.

The big picture: At least a dozen Colorado cities and counties have dropped Flock or moved to replace it this year, including Arvada, Denver, Douglas County, El Paso County, Englewood and Lafayette.

Some abandoned the readers altogether. Others, such as Denver and Durango, turned to competitors like Axon.

It's a sharp reversal for a company that was embraced during Colorado's auto theft surge in the early 2020s, before concerns about federal immigration access and data misuse fueled public outcry.

Between the lines: Flock may be the face of the blowback, but it's far from the only company tracking drivers.

Rivals, such as Axon, Motorola Solutions and Rekor, also offer technology that logs passing vehicles' plates, timestamps and location.

Police use that data to investigate crimes — but it can also map movements of those never suspected of wrongdoing.

Zoom in: An Axios analysis of more than a dozen Denver-area law enforcement agencies revealed wide disparities in how they handle surveillance data — even when using the same technology.

Denver's new Axon system still collects license plate data, but the city cut retention from 30 to 21 days and limited database access to local public safety personnel.

Unlike Flock, which allows police to share license plate data through a nationwide network, Axon limits sharing to individual agreements between departments.

Yes, but: Key privacy protections still depend on the rules individual agencies adopt.

What they're saying: "If we're only concerned about Flock … we're missing the issue," Keith Guzik, a CU Denver sociologist who studies police surveillance, told Axios.

The bigger concern, he said, is whether departments have adequate safeguards, regardless of which company's cameras they use.

The other side: Flock told Axios it doesn't use facial recognition or sell data, and departments can block immigration-related searches by outside agencies.

The company said every search is auditable, and it's introducing tools to flag suspicious activity.

Axon didn't respond to multiple requests for comment.

The bottom line: Changing who's behind the cameras is one thing. Changing the rules about what police collect, keep and share is another.

Real reform, Guzik says, requires shorter retention, tighter access, regular audits and independent oversight.

Flock cameras are disappearing in Colorado, but police surveillance isn't

Ditching Flock doesn't mean ditching surveillance.

Animated illustration of a street surveillance camera. Red no signs appear in front of the lens and project outward from it in succession.

Large solar panel mounted on a gray metal pole with cables, a small camera beneath, set against green tree leaves.

Charles-McClintock Wilson/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Flock has become the boogeyman of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="police surveillance" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/10/28/police-surveillance-cameras-colorado" data-vars-content-id="d8b60625-7294-4a67-8f42-414c1959ae99" data-vars-headline="Flock cameras are disappearing in Colorado, but police surveillance isn&#x27;t" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/10/28/police-surveillance-cameras-colorado" target="_self">police surveillance</a>, with Colorado communities increasingly ditching its license plate-reading cameras over <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="privacy concerns" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/17/flock-camera-local-opposition-surveillance" data-vars-content-id="d8b60625-7294-4a67-8f42-414c1959ae99" data-vars-headline="Flock cameras are disappearing in Colorado, but police surveillance isn&#x27;t" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/17/flock-camera-local-opposition-surveillance" target="_self">privacy concerns</a>.Why it matters: Some are swapping Flock for competing technology, preserving the capabilities that sparked the backlash in the first place.

Alayna Alvarez

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