Cohen Praises DOJ for Sending Election Monitors to Shelby County

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, today praised the decision by the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division to deploy personnel to Shelby County, Tennessee to monitor the November 8, 2016 general election.

“I am pleased the Department of Justice will be monitoring the election in Shelby County tomorrow,” said Congressman Cohen. “The right to vote is absolutely central to our democracy. No American should ever be denied the ability to exercise that right based on unwarranted procedural barriers to voting or because of intimidation, discrimination or for any other inappropriate reason. I would, however, encourage the Department of Justice to expand its use of election observers and use all existing authority to protect voting rights for all Americans to the maximum extent permitted by law.”

On October 25, Congressman Cohen sent a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch expressing concern about the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) announcement that, as a result of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Shelby County v. Holder case, it would be severely limited in the number of election observers that it can deploy nationally to observe the November 8th election. You can read that letter here.

In 2014, Congressman Cohen wrote to then-Attorney General Eric Holder asking for election monitors for Shelby County for the 2014 election. You can read the letter here. He also pressed the Attorney General at a House Judiciary Committee hearing to protect Shelby County voters. You can watch the video here.

In 2012, Congressman Cohen requested federal oversight of the Shelby County Election Commission. You can read his letter here.

In 2010, Congressman Cohen requested DOJ to investigate inaccurate voter rolls in Shelby County. You can read his letter here.

The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice is charged with enforcing the federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all citizens to access the ballot on Election Day. Since the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the department has regularly monitored elections in the field in jurisdictions around the country to protect the rights of voters. Shelby County, Tennessee is one of 67 jurisdictions in 27 states to receive election monitors. You can read DOJ’s press release here.