Harris County, Texas and Maricopa County, Arizona are among the 30 jurisdictions in which federal observers will monitor polling place activities or Justice Department personnel will monitor the election, DOJ announced late Friday.
The Tea Party-backed group True the Vote, the Texas Democratic Party, Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee and even the New Black Panther Party have traded accusations of voter intimidation in Harris County and called for federal elections monitors to be deployed to the area.
Maricopa County is the territory of controversial anti-illegal immigration Sheriff Joe Arpaio. He sent out an e-mail asking supporters to "help [him] STOP ILLEGALS FROM STEALING THIS ELECTION!" and has also been under investigation for allegations of discrimination in his enforcement of immigration law and treatment of prisoners.
The Civil Rights Division of DOJ will deploy over 400 federal observers and department personnel to those 30 jurisdictions in 18 states for Tuesday's election.