US DOJ sends election monitors to all 50 states, expands Alaska Senate race probe

The US Justice Department deployed 1,000 election monitors to all 50 states for the midterm elections, focusing on Democratic-leaning jurisdictions. The department also expanded a criminal probe into the Alaska Senate race over allegations that Democrat Mary Peltola's campaign helped recruit a third candidate sharing the name of her Republican opponent.

The US Justice Department deployed 1,000 election monitors and observers to jurisdictions across all 50 states on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, for the midterm elections. The monitors were sent predominantly to Democratic-leaning jurisdictions, many with majority Black and Latino voters, concentrated in states that could determine control of the US Senate. The Trump administration has taken an aggressive approach to election oversight, including pressing states for voter-registration data and arguing for stricter measures. The Supreme Court rejected a DOJ request to block California from counting mail-in ballots from over 20,000 voters alleged to be noncitizens. Critics have called the monitoring program potential voter intimidation. In Alaska, the Senate race was thrown into turmoil after reports that Democrat Mary Peltola's campaign helped recruit a third candidate sharing the name of her Republican opponent, Dan Sullivan. The DOJ has launched and is widening a criminal probe into the allegations, sending letters to over 20 people, including voting rights lawyer Marc Elias. Some jurisdictions, including Hennepin County, Minnesota, have denied DOJ requests for access to polling places.