DOJ deploys election monitors to seven Texas counties in historic voting oversight push

Election Day: Major Texas races remain close

It all comes down potentially to voter turnout today as major races in the state remain tight leading into Election Day. FOX 7 Austin's Julieanna Jackson has the details.

The Department of Justice will deploy election monitors to seven Texas counties on Tuesday as part of its largest voting oversight operation in U.S. history, federal officials announced.

Why DOJ monitors are heading to Texas

What we know:

The Texas deployment targets Bexar, Dallas, Harris, Waller, Blanco, Bowie, and Nueces counties as part of a nationwide initiative involving roughly 1,000 personnel deployed across all 50 states.

Coordinated by the department’s Civil Rights Division, the oversight effort relies on personnel from the division, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, and federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management. Monitors will evaluate compliance with federal civil rights and voting legislation, including the Voting Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Help America Vote Act, and the National Voter Registration Act.

What they're saying:

"Election integrity has been one of the top priorities for this Administration and this Division," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. "I am very proud we are deploying the largest monitoring effort in DOJ history, and pursuing transparency for elections in an assertive and nondiscriminatory manner."

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Today is Election Day | What you need to know

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Today is Election Day | What you need to know

Polls are open across Texas from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the 2026 general election. Learn where to vote, accepted photo IDs, key ballot races, and mail-in rules.

Department personnel will remain in contact with Texas state and local election administrators throughout Election Day. Federal officials noted that monitors will also check for potential violations of criminal laws prohibiting voter intimidation or suppression based on race, color, national origin, or religion.

What you can do:

Federal authorities instructed voters experiencing accessibility issues or civil rights concerns to contact the Civil Rights Division’s election hotline at 1-800-253-3931 or submit reports online. Officials stressed that any immediate threats, violence, or disruptions at polling locations should first be reported to local emergency responders by calling 911.