DOJ Monitors Will Stand 100 Feet Outside Adams County Polling Places

Federal Department of Justice election monitors will stand 100 feet outside voting centers in Adams County instead of entering the buildings, state and local officials said Thursday.

Secretary of State Jena Griswold informed DOJ personnel earlier in the day that they could enter the county’s polling places only under specific conditions. Those conditions required the monitors to be accompanied at all times by her appointed observers. The restrictions limited the monitors to speaking with a presiding election official about accessible voting equipment and bilingual poll workers.

Griswold stated that the goal was to ensure compliance with federal law without disrupting the voting process. She noted that the monitors could evaluate whether election materials were posted in Spanish. The DOJ declined these parameters.

Under the new arrangement, the monitors are treated like any other member of the public. They will not be permitted to enter a polling place in Adams County. Griswold explained that a new state law requires her office to approve any entry by DOJ monitors. Their purpose for entry would be limited to ensuring voting equipment accessibility and checking for Spanish-language materials.

Adams County Clerk and Recorder Josh Zygielbaum said the situation capped a hectic stretch for his office. He noted that the observers initially sought access to review multilingual materials and accessibility features. Griswold granted that specific approval on Wednesday. Zygielbaum was surprised when the DOJ turned down the offer this morning.

“Seems counter-intuitive if they're truly coming in to observe, you know, Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, but here we are,” Zygielbaum said. He explained that the monitors appeared to want unrestricted access, a level of freedom that is rarely granted due to the personal information of voters present in the centers.

Zygielbaum expressed concern that monitors standing outside might create negative interactions with voters. He worried that a random person walking up to inquire about a voting experience could make some citizens uncomfortable. Denver7 political expert Alton Dillard noted that the dispute reflects a widespread misunderstanding about what observers are allowed to do.

“They think that outside people can just come in and randomly wander around in polling places and vote counting centers and all that, and that is not the case,” Dillard said. He added that the heightened political environment in the country is driving the tension. Dillard pointed out that the area outside the 100-foot limit is where political activity can legally take place, creating uncertainty.

Dillard said Adams County’s role in the closely watched CD8 congressional race is likely drawing the federal attention. The county is considered a swing district in the race. Both Dillard and election officials pointed to strong early ballot returns. Dillard noted that voters aged 65 and up have largely already cast their ballots, leaving younger demographics as the current target.

Zygielbaum stated that early returns in Adams County are tracking with the pace of the 2020 presidential election. The office has already received nearly 100,000 ballots. If that pace continues, the county could see between 220,000 and 230,000 ballots by the time polls close at 7 p.m. on Election Day. Zygielbaum said his team’s work would remain the same regardless of who is watching, ensuring the election proceeds in a bipartisan manner.