The Latest: Volunteers to monitor South Carolina’s primary

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — The Latest on the 2020 presidential primary contest (all times local):

9:55 a.m.

The American Civil Liberties Union says it’s dispatching dozens of trained volunteers across South Carolina to monitor voting precincts during Saturday’s Democratic presidential primary.

The group said Thursday the 73 volunteers will report and address any problems with the help of legal advocates. They’ll be at precincts in Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester and Lexington counties as voters go to the polls.

The ACLU says anyone who sees any issues should report them to a voter protection hotline. Polls in South Carolina are open on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

South Carolina congressman Jim Clyburn endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday.

Biden has long led in polling in South Carolina. But Biden’s lead has tightened in recent months, in part because of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ momentum after success in other early state contests. And California billionaire Tom Steyer has spent millions of dollars on ads in the state.

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