FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          CR
MONDAY, JUNE 24, 1996                              (202) 616-2765
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888
                                 
        TWENTY-NINE FEDERAL OBSERVERS TO MONITOR TUESDAY'S
         RUN-OFF ELECTION IN TWO SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTIES
 
     WASHINGTON, D.C. --  Twenty-nine federal observers will
monitor Tuesday's run-off election in two South Carolina counties,
the Justice Department announced today.
     Nineteen federal observers will monitor a run-off election for
sheriff in Williamsburg County and 10 will travel to Chester County
to monitor a run-off election for state senator, county treasurer
and sheriff.
     Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Deval L. Patrick
said that in the previous election, African American voters 
in need of assistance were misinformed of voting procedures and
unable to obtain assistance from a person of their choice. 
     Under the Voting Rights Act, which protects the rights of
racial and language minority group members to participate in the
electoral process, the Justice Department is authorized to send
federal observers to areas that are specially covered in the Act. 
     The observers, employees of the Office of Personnel
Management, will watch and record activities during voting hours at
several of the polling locations and during the counting of votes. 
One attorney from the Civil Rights Division will coordinate
activities in each county.
     Voters in South Carolina can report possible discriminatory
voting practices to a federal examiner at (803) 354-5253.
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