JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO MONITOR ELECTIONS IN TEXAS

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Justice Department today announced that as part of its ongoing efforts to protect the rights of language minority citizens it will monitor elections on May 15 in Dallas County and Harris County, Texas.

Both counties are covered under provisions of the Voting Rights Act that require jurisdictions provide voting materials, such as ballots and other information, in languages other than English for certain language minority groups. The monitors will gather information on the quality and availability of minority-language materials at the polls and the treatment of minority-language voters.

Federal observers will be assigned to monitor polling place activities in 25 municipalities and school districts in Dallas County based on the special coverage provisions. Dallas County has been required by the Voting Rights Act to provide voting information and assistance in Spanish since 1975 and was certified for federal examiners by the Attorney General in 1984. Federal observers were last assigned to the county on May 5, 2001.

In Harris County, Civil Rights Division personnel will monitor the treatment of Vietnamese and Spanish-speaking voters during polling hours to ensure full and equal access to the voting process. The Department conducted similar monitoring during the March 9 primary election.

Each year, the Department of Justice deploys hundreds of observers and attorneys to monitor elections across the country. In 2002, the Division coordinated and sent 608 federal observers and 221 Justice Department personnel to 40 counties in 17 states to monitor 60 elections and ensure access to the polls. In 2003, the Division coordinated and sent 380 federal observers and 126 Department personnel to monitor 41 elections in 26 political subdivisions in 14 states.

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