The Justice Department deployed about 1,000 election monitors to all 50 states today for the first time, Axios' Ben Berkowitz reports.

🧑‍⚖️ The unprecedented effort was announced after courts repeatedly rejected the DOJ's efforts to force states to restrict voting for alleged noncitizens.

• It also comes amid a long-running Trump administration push to fight voter fraud, which studies say isn't nearly as prevalent as the administration suggests.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said in a statement: "I am very proud we are deploying the largest monitoring effort in DOJ history, and pursuing transparency for elections in an assertive and nondiscriminatory manner."

• The observers are coming from the DOJ, U.S. attorney offices, and the Office of Personnel Management.

Some local election officials say they're worried that such a massive wave of observers could intimidate or otherwise interfere with voters.

• Many of the counties being monitored today are in deep-blue areas or home to big, potentially decisive contests. Go deeper ... Affected counties.

📃 Meanwhile: Voting machines across New York's Westchester County were rejecting paper ballots today, raising concerns about potential delays in one of the country's most competitive House races.

• Go deeper.

Steve Kornacki, NBC News' chief data analyst, stayed on air for as long as seven straight hours during this year's primaries as he took viewers down Election Night rabbit holes with his Kornacki Cam livestreams. Tonight and into the wee hours, he'll extend that to at least 13 hours of precinct-by-precinct midterm drama at his famous Big Board.

• Why it matters: Kornacki's cult following, with 41 million livestream starts across 22 nights of this year's primary coverage, reflects a new media era where audiences can bond electronically with experts who share their obsessions. With a massive potential power swing at stake, Kornacki's niche will suddenly have national fascination.

📱 Social media loves the Kornacki Cam — which is actually a couple of cameras, including a handheld one and an overhead view. Even his rare bathroom breaks draw clips and comments.

• "There was kind of a community that built itself around these primary nights," Kornacki told me in an interview. "We did it as an experiment and were just trying to see if there are people out there that actually want to just do the whole journey of an election night — just results and nothing else."

Behind the scenes: Kornacki — who has also brought his data analysis to NBC Sports' Super Bowl, Olympics and Kentucky Derby coverage — told me he doesn't eat on the day of his election livestreams. And he doesn't snack during the show — just Dunkin' coffee.

• "Once you start doing it, the adrenaline of new results, new material, new information constantly coming in, it carries you," he said.

In addition to Kornacki's livestream, he'll pop up regularly on the 13-hour "Decision '26" marathon on the NBC broadcast network. NBC News' rolling coverage begins at 5 p.m. ET and runs until 6 a.m.

• More on NBC's coverage.

1. 🎙️ The White House is circulating Election Day talking points that emphasize President Trump's campaign efforts and tout his accomplishments as Republicans brace for difficult midterm results. More from Alex Isenstadt.
2. 🇰🇵 North Korea appears to have used a fake job interview as part of its months-long preparations to steal $6.3 billion from Binance. More from Sam Sabin.
3. ✈️ Investigators are looking into mechanical trouble and weather as possible contributors to Sunday's deadly business jet crash near West Palm Beach, Florida. Get the latest.
4. 🤖 Schools that restrict Google's AI tools will also lose access to web search, the company announced today. That comes as many parents and educators question AI's role in the classroom, with some big school districts limiting its use. Gift link.

📈 Breaking: Jill Hazelbaker, Uber's president and chief corporate affairs officer, is moving to OpenAI in the new role of chief corporate affairs officer, overseeing the frontier AI company's global communications and corporate positioning.

• Why it matters: Hazelbaker, a veteran of political campaigns who also held top jobs at Snap and Google, is among Washington's best-known and best-connected executives.

Hazelbaker told me: "For me, it's the chance to help shape how the world understands, engages with, and ultimately benefits from the most consequential technology of our generation."

• Hazelbaker has spent more than a decade helping transform Uber from an overgrown startup in near-constant crisis into one of the world's largest consumer technology platforms, while leading the company's global marketing, communications, policy and safety organizations.

Hazelbaker will report to Greg Brockman, OpenAI president and co-founder.

• Go deeper.

The gas-powered cars at Disneyland's storied Autopia attraction are set to be swapped out for electric versions, The New York Times reports.

• That comes after a settlement between Disney and the state of California over the ride's emissions output.

🚗 It's a huge change for the 71-year-old Tomorrowland staple, which captured Walt Disney's vision for America's car-centric future.

• Disneyland visitor Adriel Ceja told The Times: "It would be more modern and feel better for Tomorrowland if it was an electric car."

Gift link.