Justice to monitor elections in 3 counties

[Judi Lynn]

March 8, 2004, 8:22PM

Justice to monitor elections in 3 counties
By TERRY KLIEWER
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
Federal officials said Monday that Waller, Harris and Tarrant counties are among 12 sites in three Southern states where primary elections will be monitored today for local compliance with the U.S. Voting Rights Act.

The presence of observers from the U.S. Department of Justice at Waller County polls had been requested in December by U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and State Rep. Rodney Ellis, both Houston Democrats, who spearheaded a campaign to reaffirm voting rights for students at Prairie View A&M University.

They acted when District Attorney Oliver Kitzman, who is white, touched off a controversy in November by questioning whether students at the predominantly black university qualified to vote in county elections.

After being chastised by top state officials and sued in federal court, Kitzman last month dropped his challenge.
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