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FEDERAL OBSERVERS DISPATCHED TO MONITOR MISSISSIPPI ELECTIONS

WASHINGTON D.C.-The Justice Department will dispatch three federal observers to Bolivar County, Mississippi, to monitor a special election on February 1, 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. One 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.

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