DOJ Monitors Polling Sites In 4 Michigan Cities

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 08/04/2026) The U.S. Department of Justice kept its promise Tuesday to monitor polling sites in four Michigan cities “to ensure transparency, ballot security and compliance with federal law.”

There are two teams in Lansing, East Lansing and Detroit, and one team in Hamtramck, said Kimberly Bush, director of communications for the Attorney General’s office.

Bush said the team in East Lansing asked about Spanish interpreters. However, the polling place is not required to have Spanish interpreters under the Voting Rights Act because it is not a minority-language location.

“Our primary monitoring efforts continue today as we seek to ensure free and fair elections nationwide,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice is devoting extensive resources to ensure uniform and nondiscriminatory monitoring. We appreciate the cooperation of these jurisdictions in promoting trust and transparency.”

U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey, of the Western District, added, “Transparency promotes both trust and better behavior in election administration.”

The federal government said that Civil Rights Division personnel will be available from now until the General Election on Nov. 3.

On July 24, former Lt. Governor John Cherry said on Off The Record he was concerned about the move by President Donald Trump's U.S. Justice Department, which was to “discourage people from coming out and voting” by planting seeds of doubt.

In theory, if there is drama at the polls, voters may stay home, he said.

Cherry is hooking up with former Republican Gov. John Engler, former Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop and former Democratic Gov. Jim Blanchard on “The Protect Democracy Project” to reassure Michigan residents that local clerks run Michigan's elections well and that they can trust the results.