FBI Agent, Federal Prosecutor Assigned to Monitor Election

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Federal law enforcement authorities are stepping up their vigilance of any possible civil rights violations related to the Nov. 3 election by establishing an FBI command post in Albuquerque and assigning a prosecutor to monitor complaints or threats.

The precautionary effort is unprecedented in recent memory and was announced at a joint news conference Monday attended by New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver and officials from the FBI and U.S. attorney’s office.

The process of tallying ballots is likely to take more time amid partisan monitoring efforts because of a massive surge in absentee balloting in response to the coronavirus pandemic.