(WWJ) Michigan officials says turnout was steady, Tuesday morning, on primary election day in Michigan.
Federal officials are on the ground across four Michigan municipalities, to monitor polling sites.
The goal, according to the feds, is to safeguard ballot security, federal voting rights, and transparency at the polls.
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Staff from the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Rights Division, alongside representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for both the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, are actively observing operations in Detroit, Hamtramck, Lansing, and East Lansing.
The Justice Department said these jurisdictions were selected because of a history of election-related concerns
State officials confirmed the federal presence, late Tuesday morning.
Kim Bush, Director of Public Information and Education with the Michigan Attorney General's Office, noted during a morning press briefing that DOJ monitors had arrived on site, though initial staffing numbers were slightly below initial projections.
Bush confirmed that in Hamtramck, there was one team of two monitors on site, as expected.
In Detroit, she said they were expecting four teams of two monitors on site, but only two teams or two were seen on the ground, as of Tuesday morning.
"As expected, there are no issues with the monitors," Bush said. "They are checking in at their precincts and they are just observing."
In Lansing, state officials anticipated three two-person monitoring teams but confirmed two teams were present. Similarly, East Lansing expected three to four two-person teams and currently has two active teams. Bush added that federal observers inquired about Spanish language interpreters upon arrival.
According to a news release from the DOJ, the federal presence is part of the Civil Rights Division's routine enforcement of federal election statutes across the country.
Personnel are checking for compliance with key voter protection laws, including the Voting Rights Act, the National Voter Registration Act, the Help America Vote Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Civil Rights Acts.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division highlighted that the department is devoting extensive resources to this effort.
Harmeet said: "Our primary monitoring efforts continue today as we seek to ensure free and fair elections nationwide. 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 for the Western District of Michigan emphasized that active oversight and transparency build public trust and promote proper election administration.
The Civil Rights Division will maintain open channels with the public through Election Day on November 3, 2026. Members of the public who suspect federal voting rights violations or wish to request monitoring in a specific jurisdiction can contact the Voting Section directly at VEM@usdoj.gov.
Polls in Michigan are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 4.
