Department of Justice Seal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CR

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2000

(202) 514-2007

WWW.USDOJ.GOV

TDD (202) 514-1888


FEDERAL OBSERVERS DISPATCHED TO

MONITOR GEORGIA ELECTIONS


WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Justice Department will dispatch 14 federal observers to Sumter County, Georgia to monitor the primary runoff election on August 8, 2000.

Under the Voting Rights Act, which protects the rights of Americans to participate in the electoral process without discrimination , the Justice Department is authorized to ask the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to send federal observers to areas that are specially covered in the Act.

The federal observers will monitor the treatment of African American voters, including whether they are able to receive assistance from the person of their choice and whether they are improperly turned away by poll workers.

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

To lodge complaints about discriminatory voting practices in this election, voters may call the federal examiner at 1-888-496-9455. At all times, complaints about discriminatory voting practices may be called in to the Voting Section of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division at 1-800-253-3931.

More information about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws is available on the Department of Justice Internet site at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting.

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