The Department of Justice sent federal election monitors to Lowell and Boston on Tuesday, Nov. 3, as part of what the agency called its largest monitoring effort ever.

Approximately 1,000 monitors and observers fanned out across all 50 states for the first time in DOJ history, according to a department statement. The effort is coordinated by the Civil Rights Division and includes personnel from multiple DOJ divisions, U.S. Attorney's Offices and federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management.

Lowell and Boston are the only two Massachusetts jurisdictions on the DOJ's monitoring list. Andover and North Andover are not on it.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division said in the statement that election integrity has been a top priority for the administration and the division. She called the deployment an assertive, nondiscriminatory push for transparency.

The monitors are checking compliance with federal voting rights laws, including the Voting Rights Act, the Help America Vote Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Concerns about voter intimidation

The deployment drew pushback. Voting-rights groups and some local election officials said the massive wave of observers could intimidate voters, USA Today reported. The NAACP said it believes the monitors could suppress turnout and disenfranchise voters, particularly from minority groups, according to USA Today.

In states with closely contested Senate races, monitors were assigned to cities and counties with disproportionately high Black and Hispanic populations according to U.S. Census data, USA Today reported. The outlet also noted monitors were not sent exclusively to minority-heavy areas, citing Ohio's Medina County, which is 90% white.

Axios reported the deployment came after courts repeatedly rejected DOJ efforts to force states to restrict voting for alleged noncitizens.

Lowell elections director voiced concerns before announcement

Lowell, a city of about 120,000 with roughly 79,000 registered voters, has a large immigrant community that has seen multiple federal immigration enforcement actions. In an Oct. 21 report by GBH News, Lowell Elections Director Will Rosenberry said he had heard from voters concerned about an intimidating presence at the polls.

That was before the DOJ announcement.

"I do worry about voter confusion, just believing the myths and being fearful of the process and staying home and not coming to vote as a result of all the confusion," Rosenberry told GBH. "I don't want people to be afraid."

Rosenberry told GBH his poll workers were already anxious about reports of federal agents at polling places. "So I'm constantly having to prepare my poll workers and train them on what to do if that were the reality," he said.

Lowell is the only Massachusetts municipality with a trilingual ballot in English, Spanish and Khmer. With nine ballot questions translated into all three languages, Rosenberry told GBH the ballot could be "the longest ballot in Massachusetts history," and he expected delays at the polls.

How to report problems

The DOJ said voters with questions or complaints about federal voting rights can call 1-800-253-3931 or email [email protected]. Complaints about violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported to local police by calling 911 first, then to the department.