William Rehnquist, later chief justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, is said to have been the head of a group of lawyers hoping to challenge voters in minority Democratic precincts.
[3]Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson’s overwhelming popularity in the polls at the time – just a year in after taking office in the aftermath of Kennedy’s assassination – and his relentless talk of civil rights and voting rights heightened Republican National Committee concerns and swung the door wide open for voter suppression strategies of all kinds.
[3] The Republican National Committee announced its plan to conduct a nationwide ballot security program entitled "Operation Eagle Eye" in 1964.
At the time, Operation Eagle Eye was virtually unknown but a highly organized and financed effort by the Republican party to suppress minority voting.
The recruited poll watchers used a variety of tactics, including asking voters to read a portion of the Constitution,[4] cameras, two-way radios, and calls to Republican-friendly sheriffs.
[3] This attempt to thwart electoral fraud by challenging voters at the polls only served to intimidate minorities and swing elections in favor of Republicans.
The General Outline of the 1964 Ballot Security Program included the following instructions:[4] Psychological deterrence was a significant aspect of the OEE efforts.
[3] Instead of mobilizing voters, the Republican South has led a new charge for restrictive voting laws in response to changing demographics, and ideological shifts among the party.