DOJ to monitor Primaries in Harris and Fort Bend counties

[Gothmog]

The DOJ is going to be monitoring the Texas primaries next week in a couple of counties including Fort Bend http://txredistricting.org/post/23736139553/doj-to-monitor-texas-primary-elections

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO MONITOR ELECTIONS IN TEXAS

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor primary elections on May 29, 2012, in Fort Bend, Harris and Jefferson Counties in Texas, to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and other federal voting rights statutes. The Voting Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the election process on the basis of race, color or membership in a minority language group. In addition, the act requires certain covered jurisdictions to provide language assistance during the election process.

Under the Voting Rights Act, the Justice Department is authorized to ask the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to send federal observers to jurisdictions that are certified by the attorney general or by a federal court order. Federal observers will be assigned to monitor polling place activities in Fort Bend and Jefferson Counties based on the attorney general’s certification. In addition, Fort Bend is subject to a court order entered in 2009, which requires the jurisdiction to comply with the minority language and assistor of choice requirements of the Voting Rights Act, as well as the requirements of the Help America Vote Act. The observers will watch and record activities during voting hours at polling locations in these counties, and Civil Rights Division attorneys will coordinate the federal activities and maintain contact with local election officials.

In addition, Justice Department personnel will monitor polling place activities in Harris County. A Civil Rights Division attorney will coordinate federal activities and maintain contact with local election officials.

Each year, the Justice Department deploys hundreds of federal observers from OPM, as well as departmental staff, to monitor elections across the country. To file complaints about discriminatory voting practices, including acts of harassment or intimidation, voters may call the Voting Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division at 1-800-253-3931.

[TBF]

1. Wow - excellent! Wish it was Brazoria too ...

Check my old Rep. 22 thread for what the LaRouchies are up to today.

[Gothmog]

2. I wonder if I will get a visit at my polling place

The Fort Bend Democratic Party voted to have separate primaries from the GOP and so I felt that it was a good sign to be an election judge. Normally, I am running our voter protection operations and have poll watchers out at key precincts. Other than Kesha's and KP's race and one constable race there Democrats do not have any primary fights. I think that it would be good experience to observe the process as an election judge.

In 2010, the DOJ only sent election observers to some precincts with large number of hispanic voters. We are not expecting issues this time. I am worried by the King Street Patriots during the general election and will not be able to be an election judge during the general election