ballot security task force arm bands. many were openly carrying guns and they stalked around polling places in minority-heavy districts while they demanded that election workers strike these people off the election rolls. >> several of these signs were reported at polling places at newark's fourth ward. poll watchers, some of them off-duty policemen wearing guns and arm bands were also near the polls as part of the task force set up by the republican and national state committees to guard against fraud but democrats charge it was a scare campaign to intimidate voters primarily in minority neighborhoods. >> yeah, you think? who knows how many people were blocked or intimidated from voting in that election in new jersey in 1981. but as voter suppression schemes go, this one clearly worked. both parties would claim that it definitely worked. there were 3 million votes cast