washington federal election observers send five state year u.s. presidential election among small deployments since vote right act pass 1965 end racial discrimination ballot box plan confirm u.s. department justice fact sheet see reuters reflect change bring supreme court 2013 decision strike part act signature legislative achievement 1960s civil right movement vote right advocate tell reuters concern scaling-back observers would make hard detect counter efforts intimidate hind voters especially southern state history racial discrimination ballot box supreme court rule undercut key section act require state obtain u.s. approval change election laws court strike formula use determine state affect end justice department ability select vote areas deem risk racial discrimination deploy observers fact sheet say eleven mostly southern state certify need federal observers department federal observers still send monitor elections authorize federal court rule currently court do five state alabama alaska california louisiana new york accord justice department justice department spokesman decline comment fact sheet say many people deploy monitor vote close nov. election pit republican donald trump democrat hillary clinton recent presidential elections justice department send 780 people watch elections around country split three categories supreme court rule reduce two accord document one category justice department staff statutory authority access poll sit still monitor vote nationwide must rely local state authorities grant access poll locations second group federal observers train office personnel management unfettered access poll sit deploy federal court order third group document say eliminate supreme court decision federal observers deploy jurisdictions attorney general select base evidence possible racial discrimination also train office personnel management full access poll sit attorney general loretta lynch say friday justice department ability deploy election observers severely curtail supreme court decision since congress pass 1965 act federal observers gather evidence unlawful activity prepare report poll sit use evidence court november 2004 presidential election last justice department provide number federal observers 840 federal observers 250 department personnel dispatch poll sit 86 jurisdictions 25 state mix tool shift say justin levitt oversee justice department vote section department still ability send personnel take legal action election officials necessary say interview justice department staff monitor elections significantly less authority federal observers point election day justice department staff deny entry vote area ask leave unlike federal observer could make difficult gather evidence vote problems potentially make hard prosecute case suppression say vote right advocate suppression take number form intimidate misinform voters deny access vote materials language rely justice department personnel monitor elections far cry federal observers statutorily authorize inside poll place say gerry hebert executive director washington d.c.-based non-profit campaign legal center hebert former senior justice department vote right official oversee team federal observers u.s. south leave department 1994. federal observer report cite court case group allege voter fraud sandoval county new mexico federal observer report show native-american voters difficulty get vote information native languages decade 1994 2004 accord 2011 court order case unite state bring county dale ho director american civil liberties union vote right project say federal observers especially need year 17 state tighten restrictions vote since last presidential election disappoint decision justice department say ho supreme court rule mention federal observer program specifically think decision inevitable add anita earls executive director southern coalition social justice former senior official justice department vote section say guarantee ability federal observers examine voter registration roll remain inside poll station make effective justice department staff catch voter suppression exclusive u.s. curtail federal election observers