Democrats prepare thousands of election observers for battleground states

Democrats are training thousands of volunteers to observe polling places in battleground states during November’s midterm elections, amid concerns about federal involvement and possible challenges to the results. The preparations reflect heightened political tensions, although the Trump administration denies plans to send immigration agents to polling stations and says federal monitoring will follow the law.

State Democratic parties have trained about 10,000 volunteers, Common Cause around 16,000, and a coalition of roughly 300 groups says it has trained tens of thousands more. Republicans say they have recruited nearly 22,000 poll workers, while the Justice Department plans its largest-ever election monitoring operation, with about 1,000 staff observing nationwide. Concerns have also grown after the department sued over Alaska’s Senate election; President Trump said he directed it to bring the case, which cites the similar names of candidates Dan Sullivan and Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.