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The U.S. Department of Justice is dispatching election monitors to New Bedford, one of at least 15 nationwide jurisdictions singled out by the Trump administration for upcoming primaries. The agency is also asking the city to provide data on all registered voters by next month.
For New Bedford, election monitors are a first, according to a city spokesperson. Boston, the only other known city in Massachusetts on the list, routinely sees the observers outside polling sites on Election Day. The DOJ is sending federal monitors to Arizona, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Virginia; all but New Hampshire are led by Democratic governors.
“We’re sending the monitors into cities and counties where there may have been some problems with recent elections,” said Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, in a video posted to X on Tuesday.
“This is an important goal that increases voter confidence and it’s also important to make sure our voting is accurate so that every citizen who votes has their vote counted equally without being cancelled out by somebody who shouldn’t be voting,” Dhillon continued.
It is unclear what problems the DOJ is alleging in New Bedford. A department spokesperson did not respond to The Light’s follow-up questions before publication.
In 2024, the city assigned one of its attorneys to investigate issues raised about the March 2024 presidential primary, including voting machines briefly shutting down or jamming, and insufficient Republican ballots at one location. The attorney determined nine voters (eight Republican and one Democrat) were affected, and that all were able to successfully cast their ballot after a brief interruption.
The DOJ is asking the city to provide the registered voter list (first and last names), a list of precincts and polling sites, and all voting materials sent to voters to “evaluate your compliance with the voter assistance requirements of the Voting Rights Act,” by Aug. 8, per a letter the federal agency sent to the city Thursday afternoon.
“The voter list will facilitate identification of voting precincts with limited-English proficient] voters,” DOJ explained.
The city’s ward map denotes which neighborhoods fall within each voting precinct. Further, its registered voter list contains not only voters’ names, but also their home addresses and party affiliation.
In April, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office secured a win in court, with a federal judge dismissing a lawsuit the DOJ filed against the state because it refused to provide an unredacted voter list with voters’ private information.
The monitoring announcement coincides with a letter the DOJ sent to all 50 states and their election officials, warning them that they can be prosecuted for failing to follow federal and state law regarding voting by noncitizens.
New Bedford has historically been home to several immigrant populations, some of whom have become the target of the Trump administration’s deportation agenda.
“Knowingly retaining noncitizens on Massachusetts’s ‘State Voter Registration List’ (SVRL) and sending such individuals ballots, and then counting such ballots, would constitute the ‘procurement, casting, or tabulation’ of ballots that are known to be false in violation” of the law, the letter reads.
At the end of the July 7 letter, Dhillon asks Massachusetts to respond within five days with information on how the state plans to ensure compliance with the law.
What are election monitors?
Monitors are often attorneys with the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division or U.S. Attorneys’ offices who stand outside polling locations while voters come and go. The monitors are supposed to observe and take notes regarding compliance with the Voting Rights Act and National Voter Registration Act.
Federal administrations, both Republican and Democrat, have routinely dispatched federal monitors, including in Boston, for decades.
Debra O’Malley, spokesperson for the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office, which administers the elections, said that monitoring is required by federal law in Boston due to language access requirements under the Voting Rights Act.
There, observers ensure the provision of ballots and signage in Spanish, and the availability of interpreters. In addition to Boston, federal observers have previously gone to Malden (which has Chinese language requirements) and Lowell (Spanish language), among other Massachusetts cities.
O’Malley noted, however, that there is no such language monitoring requirement in New Bedford.
The DOJ’s letter to the city discusses language access, saying an estimated 4.5% of the city’s “voting-age Hispanic citizens are [limited-English proficient].”
The DOJ writes that although the city is “not yet” subject to that same language requirement as Boston, it must ensure that “elderly, illiterate, and physically disabled individuals,” and limited-English proficient voters “are allowed to receive assistance from the person of their choice.”
Federal observers must adhere to the same rules as other observers, including those who may be sent by campaigns, O’Malley said. They may not speak to or interfere with voters inside or within 150 feet of the polling site. They can watch, but must remain silent within that boundary. They are only permitted to speak to the election warden at that site.
Dhillon in a video cited language access and access for people with disabilities as reasons for sending federal monitors, but also referenced election integrity. She said the DOJ will expand the monitoring program for the General Election in November.
Carol Rose, executive director at the ACLU of Massachusetts, said election monitors serve an important role in a democracy, but that there is important context to call out.
“The Trump administration has been stoking baseless fears about the security of our elections, spreading lies about voter fraud, and seeking to intimidate state and local election officials,” Rose said in a statement. “There is absolutely no evidence of widespread voter fraud, either here in Massachusetts or anywhere else in the country.”
Mayor Jon Mitchell did not provide comment. The city’s public information officer Jonathan Darling in an email Thursday said, “Federal officials are welcome to observe elections here.”
There was some confusion as to whether monitors would be going to Bedford, New Hampshire, not the Massachusetts port city. In a video posted Wednesday, Dhillon listed the municipalities, saying “…New Bedford and Nashua in Massachusetts, Manchester…”
But DOJ spokesperson Kiersten Pels confirmed it is New Bedford.
Darling said there has been no previous federal election monitoring in the city.
Any person or organization can submit a request for monitoring to the DOJ’s Voting Section.
Submitters are asked to cite specific reasons for the request, including possible incidents of discrimination or interference, violations of voting law, complaints, names of victims, contact information of people who may have knowledge of incidents, and “as much lead time as possible” to permit “pre-election investigations and to make logistical and staffing arrangements.”
The Light asked the DOJ on Thursday if it had received any requests for monitoring in New Bedford, but the DOJ did not respond before publication.
Candidates on the September ballot react
Craig Swallow, a Democrat running against incumbent U.S. Rep. Bill Keating for the 9th District House seat, called the monitoring plan in New Bedford a form of intimidation and “un-American.”
“There is no crisis at our ballot boxes, only a deliberate effort to make our neighbors afraid to use their voice,” he said in an emailed statement. “From early voting through Election Day, activist groups allied with our campaign will stand with voters at polling places across the city, with lawyers, constitutional observers, safety marshals, and peacekeepers ready to help.”
“New Bedford has pretty secure elections, and I’m not worried about anything nefarious with our New Bedford election commissioners and election office,” said Henry Bousquet, a Republican candidate on the September primary ballot for the 9th Bristol state representative seat. “I think they do a great job.”
Chester Tam, who is going against Bousquet on the 9th Bristol Republican ticket, said he thinks this is “not unprecedented.”
“[Monitors] do not administer elections or interfere with the voting process,” Tam said in an email. “Regardless of whether monitors are present, my priority is that every eligible voter can cast a ballot freely, every lawful vote is counted accurately, and the election is conducted fairly and transparently.”
Edward Pacheco, a Democrat running for the same state representative seat, said Massachusetts has a history of secure and transparent elections. He characterized this federal action as a form of voter intimidation.
“I suspect that this is probably just another tactic by the current federal administration to try and assert their authority,” he told The Light. “I support strong training for poll workers, and post-election audits and accountability for anybody who would try to disrupt or undermine our elections, but I’m not sure that this type of voter intimidation is really necessary.”
His Democratic opponent for the same seat, Steve Medeiros, in a statement said he urges the federal government to “trust the people who administer our elections here at home and to make sure any effort actually protects voters rather than discouraging them from showing up on election day.”
Steven Ouellette, who will only appear on the November ticket as he is unopposed on the Democrat ticket for the 8th Bristol state representative seat, wrote, “Bring it on! After the Republican candidate signature disqualification, that shows some odd happenings, I hope they look deeper into that situation too.”
Ouellette is referencing the recent removal by a state commission of two Republican candidates — one for lieutenant governor and one for attorney general — from the September ballot amid concerns of fraud over campaign signatures (10,000 are needed to appear on the ballot).
A spokesperson for gubernatorial candidate Brian Shortsleeve, who is on the Republican primary ticket to face off against Gov. Maura Healey, said, “Maintaining the integrity of our elections is critical, and if additional monitoring can help lend confidence to election outcomes then it should be welcomed.”
Healey’s office referred questions and request for comment on the monitoring announcement to the state secretary’s office.
Jamie Perkins contributed reporting to this story.
You just know Tom Hodgson is having mental orgasms at this. He wanted to do this as sheriff. wouldn’t be surprised if he were right up front in a newly designed uniform.
You are so right!
I’m not a registered voter, to me unfortunately, what matters the most is the cost of living. I’m retired and live alone, I can just about survive, it disgusting, I use to work two jobs as a single divorced mom, with two daughters. As far as I’m concerned, their isn’t a Politician they cares about retired people living alone or a lot more people becoming homeless! This world and everyone in it is consumed with GREED! ONE OF THE SEVEN SINS!! It’s just going to get worse, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, as the so called Middle Class disappears!! Something needs to be changed and done the Government has Stolen Enough Money From everyone who worked for many years! While we’ll all worry in Stress . We’ll know Stress Kills, that’s what they want, the less people to give back, just about nothing of what we paid into the underhanded system. If they gave us half of what we worked for, all the years we worked, we’d be able to live a better life! It’s truly disgusting, they just take all the money, besides their regular salary, then take all of our money, to live Lavish Great Lives!! Disgusting!! I’m Pretty Much at Witts end with trying. It’s like shoveling shit against the tide! No one helps retired people, Veterans or Homeless people, who gave up!! It’s all about GREED Once again!! I wish God Could Come Down, With His Almighty Hands and Correct All The Greed, and Evil In This World. It’s unbearable, we pay Excise Tax, for the roads, that are so bad they ruin your car! As far as I’m concerned, like I already said, I haven’t seen a Politician, fix anything for people in need, except those from other countries, while we paid into the government System for many years and many people, who suffer and worry, paycheck to paycheck. Wondering and worrying how am I going to survive, never mind if you have to have any Surgeries, forget it, you’ll be on a payment plan forever!! They why it’s been said for years, retired and elderly people, either have food, or y medicine and have surgeries they need. We don’t have enough money for both. Hence, once again. we die, one less sucker to pay back a quarter of the money the government took from us!! That’s why I don’t Vote, I’ve never saw a single politician, improve my life, or other people I know either! It’s all about them, waiting for us to die, one less to give any money back to, after they’ve stole it for many years! Once Again Selfishness and Consumed With GREED!! Sorry 😞 All Very Sad And True!! Nothing Is For Nothing But Worry, Stress and Sadness, of Trying To Survive In This World, without Any consideration For we the People that worked and Veterans who risked their lives for us, who are cast aside like we’re not Human Beings, Just a Nobody WHO The Government Took Our Money For Their Own Personal Gain! So Now We Suffer, while They wait for us to Die, the more the better, like I said less people to pay for all they put into the System, while we never get a quarter of what we put into it! This World 🌎 is unfortunately Consumed with Greed and Hate!! It’s only going to get worse! The Government has complete control of everything. A Disease can be released at any given time, to take out lots of people, like Covid did, hence more deaths, less people to pay!! Oh Well, No one is going to like what I’ve said, I know a Lot of our Liberties have been taken away, but I’m hoping Freedom OF Speech Still Exists!! But Probably Not!! I’m Just Speaking The Truth, through My Perspective and Lots of Other People’s Also. Probably definitely a Waste Of My Time and Energy, but just like millions of people, we’ve all had enough of being treated like we’re not human beings and just a number the Government wants to erase, for their own Personal Gain!!
Exactly right. The elderly in this country paid their dues. Is there a politician who truly cares about the people before their pockets?
Dear Anonymous,
I am so sorry that life has been so hard for you. I am going to vote for people who have policies that help and protect people like you. I am going to encourage others to do the same.
When I was a child in the 1940s New Bedford, my Dad belonged to the Eagles Social Club in the North End. There was no health insurance at the mill where he worked, but the social club membership entitled us to have a doctor visit our home for a five dollar fee. When the doctor did come, my mother asked him to examine all of us while he was there. (She was a very resourceful woman who also made us jackets from my Uncle Roland’s WWII navy uniforms. )
Life can be better if we use our vote to elect candidates with plans to improve the common good for all of us. Please do not despair and know that others will be voting on your behalf and praying for you.
I should have said, the Eagles was a fraternal organization, and not a social club.
Glad you got that off your chest! We can’t let this effect us.
You lose credibility when your opens by sentence is that you are not registered to vote. So while you have a say in thing you stay silent. Register and vote
Kudos, Anastasia. I am glad you are on top of this situation.
When I vote I”ll make sure I don’t speak English and waive at the federal monitors. Bom Dia.
Why aren’t you registered to vote? That’s the only way anything will change. Be part of the solution.
I was going to post the exact same thing, thanks for beating me to it. If you want change register and go vote. It is not only a right it is a duty as an American to go out and vote. Folks risked their lives and the fortune’s (I’m looking at you founding fathers) froze their A’s off fighting a war so you could have a country to call your own. She needs to stop being a Debbie downer, and work to be the change you want to see. End of rant.
People can check if they are registered by going to this site:
iwillvote.com
Select your state and then find out registration deadlines, if you are registered and if you need to update the changes in your address, last name, or party affiliation since you last voted.
Also, many communities will drop you from voter rolls if you did not turn in your census form. People should check.
In Massachusetts , the voter registration deadline is August 22, 2026.
Please go to the website and forward that page to all your contacts. Tell them how important it will be for us to do this in the upcoming primaries in September and final election in November.
Even after the registration deadline, you can still get information about poll location, and state rules.
I forgot to add the link: https://iwillvote.com/
Honestly, it’s not for you to ask. As long as she is legal, it may be her health, worries of things such as this, have a disability of some kind.
It’s easy to feel like your vote doesn’t count because you struggle for basic necessities.
For over a decade New Bedford elections have been a disaster and should be monitored and be investigated. The politics in this city is horrible, border line corrupt, and that is why no comes out to vote. Just look at the turn out of every election (25% if were lucky) and it shows that people have basically given up.
And you can’t blame the voters when things continue to happen in our city with no explanation (example in December 2025 the city has $18 million dollar budget surplus and than by May 2026 the city suddenly has a deficit of $32 million dollars and no one can provide an explanation on how this $50 million dollar swing in spending happened). Anyone looking at this would say, this is not open and honest city government.
I wish that those who vilify our public officials would have the decency to identify themselves and provide specific evidence to support specific complaints.
This article states:
“…..In 2024, the city assigned one of its attorneys to investigate issues raised about the March 2024 presidential primary, including voting machines briefly shutting down or jamming, and insufficient Republican ballots at one location. The attorney determined nine voters (eight Republican and one Democrat) were affected, and that all were able to successfully cast their ballot after a brief interruption….. “
This hardly seems like justification for federal monitoring of a local election. Inquiring minds want to know who submitted the monitoring request, and why the DOJ has not responded to the Light’s question about such monitoring requests.
In a city which has seen it’s share of federal raids on immigrants, and on federal attempts to revoke birthright citizenship, it is understandable that citizens in immigrant communities might be afraid to vote where they know federal agents are present. All the more reason for the rest of us to step up and exercise our constitutional right to vote. Information about our voting rights can be found here:
https://democracyforward.org/work/research/the-peoples-guide-to-voting-rights/
Information about how elections are verified can be found here: https://verifiedvoting.org/
Jane, remember, if you work for the city you can lose your job for commenting. Therefore the anonymous are the most important, because they, Jane have lived through it all.
Thank you. I hadn’t considered this.
For those who want to take an active part in safeguarding our elections there will be an opportunity to meet with like minded individuals on Thursday, July 23 from 6 – 8pm EDT at Moby Dick Brewing – The Launch Room, 16 S. Water St , New Bedford, MA 02740
This event about action and advocacy is a focused, action-oriented meeting dedicated to protecting our votes and building local momentum. Whether you are a seasoned activist or looking to get involved for the very first time, this meeting will provide concrete ways to make a tangible impact.
Appetizers will be provided. Cash bar is available More details can be found at this link:
https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/977801/
Would protecting our votes include the SAVE act or is this meeting a “coalition for socialist justice” propaganda tool? You’re comment on these posts an awful lot Jane.
To my best knowledge, this meeting is about providing voting information resources for voters, and specifically for those who want to volunteer to help protect the vote by being poll monitors, etc.
Good one, Will!
There is also a Non Partisan Election Monitoring Poll Monitor Training video available :
https://protectthevote.net/massachusetts-poll-monitor-training/
Last time I looked the New Bedford Light is in charge and till they change the process, people should have the freedom to continue to have the right to express their opinions, make comments, and remain anonymous.
Jane, how about running for Mayor. Although I want to bang my head against the wall with some of your comments, you do seem to be in it for the right reason.
I just want my country to remain a democratic republic with rule of law. Our Constitution is our founding legal document which protects our rights, the right to free and fair elections being what separates us from authoritarian governments. This depends of the participation of citizens.
Dear Mayor Mitchell and Attorney General of MA, I hope you do not give in to the criminal administration as far as turning over voter rolls. There is no evidence of voter fraud and the Trump MAGATS continue to spew these lies and are attempting to scare people into staying home instead of voting. 64 times in court have proven that the elections were legal and straightforward, stop believing these voter supressing tactics and get a spine.
Yes, and that is why we need to increase voter participation and citizen involvement in voting protection. More people need to check their voter registration status and share voting information as widely as possible.
Under our US Constitution, the power to run elections and safeguard those records is delegated to the states and local jurisdictions, with Congress sometimes having a say. That is actually a strength which helps protect us from authoritarian control. The Executive branch has no authority over local elections.
So, when the Executive orders the confiscation of local ballots, as happened in Georgia, it is a violation of our Constitutional rule of law. It also breaks the chain of custody of those ballots, and casts doubt on the election result. Where there is doubt, people lose trust. The Executive branch has made similar intrusions into local elections in Arizona. Every effort must be made to prevent this kind of overreach in other states. That is why our state attorneys general have had to act to uphold rule of law.
I just learned about the Verified Voting web site I mentioned previously , https://verifiedvoting.org/
It evaluates the integrity of elections nationwide by examining equipment, procedures, kinds of ballots, and post-election verification and ballot recount actions. I plan to look at it in more detail. It does reassure me that our elections are reliable. I hope people will take a look at it and judge for themselves.
Everyone is welcome to their opinion whether it be posted by name, nickname, or anonymously. For the record I agree the politics in this city has been a disaster for decades. Election have always been all about who is aligned with certain power makers and their money.
On the national scene it’s a fact that the opinions here at the nb light leans left. I do not support everything that President Trump does, but it’s for damn sure that I do not agree with what the far left liberals have done in past and continue to do today.
To blame Trump constantly and bash ICE in certain situations has some merit, but at the same time for four years borders were left wide open and millions of undocumented illegals were allowed to enter our country, given court dates and disappeared into the weeds, never showing up to court, and trying to correct their illegal status.
So to here their scared to come out and vote, is a complete joke (if their not trying to rectify their citizenship status, they should not be voting, and whether you like it or not they should no be living in this country period).
Complaining about elections being monitored, is more political bias and what has happened in past elections should never be minimized, not matter what party or how many votes it effected. Our country, states, cities, and towns must do a better job.
The posting of links about safeguarding our elections are great but these links are biased and if you dig deeper (Protect the Vote link comes from Common Cause and claims to want good government but prefers big government / this says it all.
And political meetings in our the city are stale, run by old power brokers, tow the party line, and the majority of attendees are older people, the young people have no interest to sit there, be lectured to, and see their opinions, and suggestions ignored.
Most importantly for anyone to say one party is better than other is nonsense, they both have their faults, both make mistakes, both will never accept responsibility for past screw ups, and both have failed all Americans at one time or another.
I agree with a previous comment and hope the NB light can strive to be more fair and balanced, stop being biased, stop showing favoritism, and let everyone have their say whether they post by name, nickname, or anonymously. Even if does not align with NB light’s political choice.
Praying for our city and wishing everyone the the best always.
Since when are local voter rolls any business of a dictator who won’t even turn over his taxes or the complete Epstein files? We have state and municipal election authorities precisely because the administration of elections is a state function. Let’s keep it that way. Tell the dictator to go [fill in the blanks].
This is a very weak comment, using terms like dictator is childish and as stated in a previous comment for anyone to say one party is better than other is complete nonsense. Clinton, Obama, Biden, and Trump all have had issues and made mistakes and in the past year both our state and city leadership have demonstrated very poor judgment (a cocaine ring being operated in the state house and the spending of $50 Million Dollars in our city that no one can account for, leaving us with a $32 Million Dollar Deficit). It’s time to stop spewing hate and trying to create political division. With all the issues in our city and state having another set of eyes on this election will be asset not a problem.
Well said!