U.S. Justice Department says it is sending more than 1,000 poll watchers to at least 25 of the 50 U.S. states, to monitor voting in next week's elections.
About 840 federal observers and more than 250 attorneys from the Justice Department's civil rights division will be assigned to watch the conduct of the elections in 86 jurisdictions across the United States.
Ever since passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the federal government has regularly sent observers across the country to check for any violations and to ensure that voters' rights are respected.
U.S. observers will be sent to many of the states considered crucial to the outcome of this year's presidential election, including Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, New Mexico and Pennsylvania.