Law enforcement officials in Minnesota say they are ready to deal with any disruptions at the polls

Those states include what political scientists have identified as seven battleground states where Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump have focused their White House campaigns: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

While DOJ election monitoring has long been practiced by both Democratic and Republican administrations, some states opt out of monitoring. Officials in Florida and Texas said they would not allow such controls. And on Monday, the state of Missouri filed a federal lawsuit seeking a court order to bar federal officials from monitoring polling stations.

Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges said he was not aware of any active threats to polling places in his city or elsewhere in Minnesota, but “I can assure you that we will have additional resources and we are prepared for anything that may happen”.

“We want you to be safe when you go out and vote,” added the mayor of Minnesota’s fifth-most populous city of more than 87,000. “Rest assured, Bloomington, we will do everything we can to ensure the safety of your vote.”

Vigilance to protect in-person voting from threats or obstruction extends far beyond the Twin Cities.

Willmar Police Capt. Michael Anderson said officers from his department “met with the election judges and reviewed contingency plans. In addition, we have added additional patrolling personnel during the voting period.”