The Department of Justice (DOJ) will be closely monitoring polling sites in Fresno County next month, as part of an election integrity initiative that extends to four other California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Kern, and Riverside.
The DOJ’s involvement aims to ensure a fair, transparent, and free election process.
The announcement of federal oversight has drawn varied reactions from state and local officials in Fresno County.
Some are welcoming the added transparency, while others express concern over the potential for intimidation.
Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig welcomed the DOJ’s involvement, calling transparency a crucial element in rebuilding public trust in the electoral process.
“I believe that transparency is very important. Right now, so much of the public across the nation is skeptical about how our elections work and so, I would welcome the DOJ to take a look at how we operate here in Fresno County,” Magsig said.
Supervisor Luis Chavez, while also open to the DOJ’s role, expressed surprise at Fresno County being chosen.
He believes that the decision might be tied to a controversy from the previous year involving duplicate ballots sent to voters.
“Mistakes were made last year with duplicate ballots going out,” Chavez said. “But it’s important for folks to remember that the security and the integrity of an election to us is almost sacred.”
Fresno County Clerk James Kus emphasized that his office is always open monitoring and welcomes any additional oversight.
He said, ““We are always open and ready for anyone to come see our process because we know that we run that transparent, accurate, secure process. And so, we want you to come in and take a look. We want you to be able to see what we do.”
He also pointed out that local and state groups already ensure the fairness of every election cycle, but he believes the DOJ’s involvement will provide an extra layer of security and confidence for the public.
“We want you to come in and take a look. We want you to be able to see what we do,” Kus added. “And in the end, we hope they’re going to verify, hey, you do a good job in Fresno County.”
Supervisor Luis Chavez, however, cautioned that the DOJ’s involvement should remain focused on observation.
He raised concerns about the possibility of intimidation tactics during the election process.
“If this is to just observe and see our elections, more than welcome. If this is designed to be some type of an intimidation tactic of folks that show up with weapons, near polling sites, or marked vehicles, or any type of military equipment or anything of that, masked mans that we’ve seen the Department of Homeland Security do recently, then that’s gonna be a problem,” he said.
As Election Day approaches, Fresno County is making final preparations to ensure that polling sites are ready for voters.
Early in-person voting begins tomorrow, and officials are encouraging voters to cast their ballots early to avoid long lines on November 4th.
The Fresno County Elections Office will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the next 10 days.
Kus says if you wait until Election Day, expect to wait in line. He encourages the public to show up early.
On Election Day, DOJ staff from the Civil Rights Division will be on-site to address any questions or complaints related to potential violations of federal voting rights laws.
For more information about voting times and locations, visit the Fresno County Elections Office website.