Department of Justice Seal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CR

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1999

(202) 616-2765

WWW.USDOJ.GOV

TDD (202) 514-1888

FEDERAL OFFICIALS DISPATCHED TO MONITOR NEW MEXICO ELECTIONS

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In an effort to preserve the integrity of the voting process, the Justice Department will dispatch 7 federal officials to monitor Tuesday's school board election for the Cuba Independent School District in Sandoval County, New Mexico.

Under the Voting Rights Act, which protects the rights of Americans to participate in the electoral process, the Justice Department is authorized to ask the Office of Personnel Management to send federal observers to areas that are specially covered in the Act.

In 1990, following a Justice Department suit, Sandoval County entered into an agreement requiring it to provide assistance to Native Americans. Seven observers will monitor polling places to ensure that the county is properly providing effective language assistance to Native Americans at the polls during the school board election as requested by the agreement.

The observers, who speak the Navajo language and are supervised by OPM, will watch and record activities during voting hours at the polling locations. One Justice Department attorney will coordinate the federal activities and maintain contact with local election officials.

To lodge complaints about discriminatory voting practices, voters may call the Voting Section of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division at 1-800-253-3931.

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