Hennepin County Restricts DOJ Election Monitors to 100 Feet Outside Polls
Hennepin County bars DOJ monitors from inside Minneapolis polling places, requiring them to stay 100 feet outside on Election Day.
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Hennepin County has implemented a policy restricting U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) election monitors from entering polling places in Minneapolis, requiring them to remain 100 feet outside on Election Day. The decision, confirmed by the office of Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, mirrors the same rule applied during the August primary. The DOJ is currently deploying monitors nationwide, including teams in Minneapolis, Brooklyn Park, and Brooklyn Center.
Legal and State Compliance
According to statements from Moriarty’s office, the county consulted with the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office and others before rejecting the DOJ’s request for interior access. The monitors are expected to remain outside a 100-foot boundary from polling locations, in compliance with Minnesota law. They will be DOJ staff in plainclothes and may attempt to interview voters as they exit, though participation is entirely voluntary.
County Commitment to Election Integrity
Moriarty emphasized the county’s commitment to ensuring free, safe, and fair elections. She stated that her office is prepared to protect and defend the right to vote, and any reports of threats, harassment, or intimidation directed at voters or election workers will be reviewed and, if appropriate, prosecuted.
State Law and Federal Authority
Minnesota Statute § 204C.06 limits who may enter a polling place or stand within 100 feet of the building. Federal monitors lack automatic authority to enter without local consent. This restriction leaves the DOJ unable to directly observe the interior of polling places in the largest county in a state at the center of recent national attention over ballot handling, noncitizen voting concerns, and the influence of concentrated immigrant communities, including the large Somali population in Minneapolis represented by Rep. Ilhan Omar.
DOJ’s Nationwide Monitoring Plan
The DOJ plans to have monitors working in every state. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon noted that both Hennepin and Ramsey counties declined the DOJ’s request, as they are permitted to do under state law. His office, along with the Attorney General’s Office, will have observers watch the federal monitors.
Source: The Gateway Pundit
