Federal election monitors will not be present in metro Richmond on Election Day

The Department of Justice announced that federal election monitors will be present at some polling locations across Virginia on Election Day, continuing a longstanding federal practice, WRIC reported.

According to NBC12, while monitors will be deployed in Virginia Beach, Charlottesville, Fairfax, and Prince William Counties, none will be stationed in the metro Richmond area, which includes Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, and Petersburg.

Virginia's Commissioner of Elections, Steven Koski, explained that the monitors' role is to observe compliance with election laws without interfering in the process. He noted that during the August primaries, some monitors needed reminders about these restrictions.

Larry Sabato, Executive Director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, commented that the monitoring is a waste of taxpayer money and expressed concerns about the current administration's approach to the process.

The Department of Justice described the monitoring as a continuation of a bipartisan practice aimed at ensuring election integrity. Election officials in Virginia maintain that elections here are secure and accurate.

Election officials plan to meet with DOJ representatives to discuss the monitoring process further.