Feds To Monitor Voting In Four Counties

Don't be surprised if you see federal officials hovering at voting sites on Election Day.

The U.S. Justice Department will monitor voting in Forsyth, Wake, Cumberland and Robeson counties next week.

The Fayetteville Observer reports that State Board of Elections executive director Kim Strach notified the four counties Wednesday. Strach couldn't say which precincts will be monitored.

A Justice Department spokesman had no comment.

In prior years, the department has announced it was sending federal observers to monitor elections.

The monitoring decision comes on the heels of a NAACP lawsuit alleging voter purging in Cumberland, Moore and Beaufort counties, though Strach said she did not know the reason why the Department of Justice intended to send monitors.  

The complaint contends the purging of voter records is a targeted effort by Republicans to suppress black votes.