About time.
Law enforcement will be on the lookout for those attempting to illegally vote in the midterm elections Tuesday, and President Trump said anyone caught unlawfully attempting to vote would face legal consequences.
“Law Enforcement has been strongly notified to watch closely for any ILLEGAL VOTING which may take place in Tuesday’s Election (or Early Voting),” Trump posted to Twitter Monday morning. “Anyone caught will be subject to the Maximum Criminal Penalties allowed by law. Thank you!”
The Justice Department released a statement Monday that said it would be sending personnel from the Civil Rights Division on Tuesday to monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in 35 jurisdictions and 19 states.
The Civil Rights Division makes sure that federal voting rights laws are being followed. These laws protect citizens’ rights to access polling places and ballots to cast their vote in elections.
“This year we are using every lawful tool that we have, both civil and criminal, to protect the rights of millions of Americans to cast their vote unimpeded at one of more than 170,000 precincts across America,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “Citizens of America control this country through their selection of their governmental officials at the ballot box. Likewise, fraud in the voting process will not be tolerated. Fraud also corrupts the integrity of the ballot.”
According to the statement, the Civil Rights Division has regularly monitored elections and deployed personnel to different areas of the country to protect these voter rights.