The Department of Justice has begun notifying counties across multiple states that it intends to send election monitors to their polling places for the November midterm elections.

Notifications have gone out to counties in Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Texas, and Washington, with the list expanding in real time. Adams County in Colorado, Miami-Dade County in Florida, Hennepin and Ramsey counties in Minnesota, King County in Washington, and seven counties in Texas have already received word.

The effort forms part of a broader plan to station roughly 1,000 monitors nationwide on Election Day. That figure represents a significant increase over prior cycles. Department officials said the monitors will focus on areas with histories of voter access concerns and competitive races that could face intimidation attempts.

The program aims to ensure compliance with federal voting laws and protect election integrity. Attorney General Todd Blanche has defended the initiative, noting that monitors will operate in every state to verify that elections proceed legally and fairly.

Some Democratic-led states have responded by preparing their own oversight of the federal observers. Minnesota officials tracked DOJ personnel during the August primary, and California has issued new guidelines on the limited authority of federal monitors.

The expanded deployment has drawn lawsuits from groups claiming potential voter intimidation. The DOJ maintains that the monitors follow long-standing practices to uphold civil rights and voting laws without interfering in local operations.

Election Day falls on November 3. The department has indicated it will release more details on specific locations closer to that date.