8 Massachusetts cities are being monitored for compliance with federal voting rights laws

Authorities will monitor eight Bay State cities for compliance with federal voting rights laws on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Poll watchers in Massachusetts are assigned to polling places in Everett, Fitchburg, Leominster, Lowell, Malden, Methuen, Quincy and Salem.

A few days ago, the Justice Department announced plans to monitor compliance with federal election laws in 86 jurisdictions in 27 states for Tuesday's election.

“The Department’s longstanding Election Day program is critical to combating voting discrimination and increasing public confidence in the electoral process,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said in a statement.

“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination,” Levy added. “My office is proud to be part of this important effort to protect the inviolable right to vote.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Anuj Khetarpal has been named voting rights coordinator for Massachusetts and will lead the U.S. Attorney's Office's Election Day surveillance efforts.

At the national level, the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort – including observers from the Civil Rights Division, other departments of the Department, U.S. Attorneys' Offices, and federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management.

Last week, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced the appointment of a district elections director to oversee, in consultation with the Justice Department in Washington, the handling of Election Day criminal complaints, threats of violence against election officials or poll workers, and voter fraud.