When you head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 8, don’t be surprised if someone’s watching.

Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump have announced plans to observe Election Day voting throughout California – not exactly a battleground state in the race for the White House.

Poll watchers can’t legally interfere with voting, interact with voters within 100 feet of a polling place or challenge a voter’s eligibility. But the leader of a pro-Trump veterans group said his people are prepared to call for help if they see anything suspicious.

Meanwhile, California Democrats are on the lookout for voter intimidation on Election Day. “We’re showing that more voting is better for our country and Trump’s forces are trying to make the opposite point,” said state party spokesman Michael Soller.

RELATED: Hillary Clinton’s poll numbers vs. Trump drop in California following FBI director’s letter about emails

On the campaign trail, Trump frequently denounces what he describes as a rigged system favoring Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. But historically, there’s scant evidence of voter fraud, with one study by a Loyola Law School professor finding just 31 known cases of voter impersonation out of 1 billion votes cast in U.S. elections between 2000 and 2014.

Election Day turnout could be very high. Californians typically vote in higher numbers in presidential elections, and the number of registered voters in the state – roughly 19 million – is at an all-time high.

Already, More than 3.3 million ballots had been cast in California early voting as of Tuesday, according to Political Data, Inc., a Norwalk-based company that compiles demographic information on voters.

Clinton is widely expected to win California’s 55 electoral votes, which haven’t gone to a Republican since 1988. That said, Trump supporters are planning to mobilize Tuesday.

Veterans for Trump, in conjunction with the anti-voter fraud Election Integrity Project is planning to send out 8,000 poll watchers throughout California, said Chuck McDougald, state chairman for the veterans group.

Observers have been trained to watch what happens “in a peaceful, quiet way” and to call a hotline if they see anything wrong, McDougald said, adding that 100 attorneys will be standing by to give advice.

Mario Herrera, president of the Riverside County Young Republicans, said he plans to be an independent poll watcher in the 40th Assembly District, where Assemblyman Marc Steinorth, R-Rancho Cucamonga, is in a tough re-election battle with Democrat Abigail Medina.

Herrera, who lives outside the 40th, plans to take a poll-watching class ahead of Tuesday. “It’s a high-profile election and I want to get involved,” he said.

The California Democratic Party has set up a hotline, 877-321-VOTE, to answer voter questions and report problems in trying to cast a ballot.

“Voting is the most basic right in our democracy, but we have already seen Republicans here in California and across the nation using voter suppression tactics to stop people from voting,” party Executive Director Chris Massami Myers said in a news release.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliates and the Dolores Huerta Foundation are among groups that want to make sure voters – some who speak limited English – receive proper assistance and are not hassled. There is no requirement that voters speak or read English in order to vote.

The California Secretary of State’s office, which oversees elections, has a phone number, 800-345-VOTE, for voters who feel threatened or intimidated at the polls.

“Poll observers must comply with the law,” Secretary of State Alex Padilla said in an email. “This means not interfering with the important work poll workers are engaged in and, just as importantly, not harassing or intimidating any voter exercising their right to cast a ballot.”

Padilla added that his office will have observers in the field to respond to issues as they arise.

Anticipating possible problems on Election Day, Catholic churches serving as polling places are being urged to hire unarmed security guards. In an email sent to pastors, Monsignor Gerard Lopez of the Diocese of San Bernardino suggested hiring guards “to deter persons wishing to cause harm or disturbances at your parish, especially if you have a parish school.”

Immigrant voters across the Inland area have expressed concerns about potential intimidation at the polls Election Day, said Luz Gallegos, community program director for TODEC Legal Center, a grassroots organization serving immigrant communities in Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial counties.

Many people have voted early to avoid the polls for this reason, she said. The organization also has been distributing the Voter Bill of Rights in Spanish, and has set up a hotline number – 951-943-1955 – where voters can report any inconsistencies at the polls.

Despite those concerns, Gallegos said, the immigrant community is determined to vote.

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Staff Writer Alejandra Molina and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9547 or jhorseman@scng.com