DOJ prepares to send election monitors to California, New Jersey following requests from state GOPs

The Department of Justice is preparing to send federal election observers to California and New Jersey next month, targeting two Democratic states holding off-year elections following requests from their state Republican parties. The DOJ is announcing Friday that it is planning to monitor polling sites in six jurisdictions: Passaic County, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, Orange, Kern, Riverside and Fresno counties in California “to ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law.” Both states feature races of national prominence in an otherwise low-key election year — a governor's race in New Jersey and a congressional redistricting special election in California.