FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CR
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1998
(202) 616-2765
WWW.USDOJ.GOV
TDD (202) 514-1888

FEDERAL OFFICIALS TO MONITOR ELECTIONS

IN NEW YORK AND KINGS COUNTY

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In an effort to preserve the integrity of the voting process, the Justice Department will dispatch 9 federal officials to monitor Tuesday's primary election in New York City.

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.

The observers will monitor activities in 28 polling places in New York and Kings Counties to ensure that Chinese-language voters who need help translating ballots are given proper assistance, and that other aspects of the New York City Board of Election's Chinese- language election program are being properly implemented.

The observers, who are supervised by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), will watch and record activities during voting hours at the polling locations. Three Justice Department attorneys will be in the counties to coordinate the federal activities and maintain contact with local election officials.

To lodge complaints about discriminatory voting practices, voters may call the Voting Rights Examiner at 1-888-496-9455 through Thursday, September 10, 1998. In addition, at any time, complaints of discriminatory voting practices may be made to the Voting Section of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division at 1-800-253-3931, or to the U.S. Attorneys' offices in Manhattan (212) 636-2777 or Brooklyn (718) 254-7000.

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