DOJ to monitor Detroit polls during Michigan primary
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The U.S. Department of Justice is again sending election monitors to Detroit to assess compliance with federal voting rights laws, this time for Michigan's Aug. 4 primary.
Why it matters: Most voters are unlikely to notice any difference at the polls. But the Justice Department's decision to monitor the primary has become a flash point in Michigan's broader debate over election administration.
What they're saying: The department confirmed Tuesday it notified "three Michigan cities" of its plans to send primary election monitors in Detroit, Lansing and East Lansing.
- "These jurisdictions have received Civil Rights Division monitors in past elections under previous administrations as well," DOJ spokesperson Kiersten Pels said in a statement to Axios.
Flashback: DOJ has conducted election monitoring in Detroit during previous general elections, including 2022 and 2024.
The latest: The DOJ's letter to Detroit was addressed to City Clerk Janice Winfrey, who is preparing to provide the city's response later this week, John Roach, a spokesperson for Mayor Mary Sheffield, tells Axios.
Yes, but: Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson say the Trump administration is using baseless allegations about Michigan's elections to justify the monitoring effort, while emphasizing the state welcomes lawful election observers.
- "We welcome observers into our elections to see just how secure they are," Benson said during a television interview Monday night. "What we're seeing here is the president and the Department of Justice continuing to pursue these baseless allegations to confuse voters about the facts."