The U.S. Justice Department says it will monitor primary elections Tuesday in 11 of Mississippi's 82 counties to ensure black voters' rights are protected.

Federal observers will be in Bolivar, Clay, Copiah, Humphreys, Jefferson Davis, Noxubee, Panola, Quitman, Sunflower, Tallahatchie and Wilkinson counties. Ten of the 11 counties are majority black. Only Panola is not.

Mississippi is holding Democratic and Republican primaries
Tuesday for statewide, regional, legislative and county offices.

The Democrats' only statewide contested primary is for governor.
Republicans have contested statewide primaries for governor,
lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer and agriculture
commissioner.

Polls will be open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday. Runoffs, if necessary, will be Aug. 23. The general election is Nov. 8.