U.S. Attorney’s Office Says It Will Look into Reports of Election Day Threats and Fraud

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas will participate in the U.S. Department of Justice’s nationwide efforts to investigate Election Day complaints regarding voting rights issues, threats of violence against election officials and staff and electoral fraud. , said US Attorney Jaime Esparza Friday morning, October 18.

Esparza also announced Friday that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Matthew Devlin will lead his office’s efforts regarding complaints regarding the November 5 general election. Devlin will serve as district elections officer, Esparza said.

“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and have their vote counted in fair and free elections,” Esparza said. “Similarly, public officials and election staff must be able to serve without being subjected to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the electoral process.

The Department of Justice has “an important role to play in deterring and combating discrimination and intimidation in elections, threats of violence directed against election officials and poll workers, and voter fraud.” The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The department’s long-standing Election Day program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the election process by providing local points of contact within the department for the public to report potential violations of federal election law,” Esparza’s office said in a statement released Friday.

Federal law protects against crimes such as threats of violence against election officials or staff, voter intimidation or bribery, vote buying and selling, voter impersonation, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes and marking voters’ ballots against their will or without their input, Esparza said. said the office.

Federal law also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote without interference, including intimidation, and other acts intended to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice, Esparza’s office added.

The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice, when voters need assistance because of a disability or inability to read or write in English, Esparza’s office said.

“The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy,” Esparza said. “We must all ensure that those who have the right to vote can exercise it if they wish, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. To respond to complaints regarding voting rights and voter fraud in the upcoming election, and to ensure that these complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Devlin will be on duty in this district while polls are open. The public can reach him at (512) 916-5858.

Additionally, the FBI will have special agents available in every field office and resident agency across the country to receive allegations of voter fraud and other election abuses on Election Day.

The FBI El Paso Field Office can be reached at (915) 832-5000.

Complaints regarding possible violations of federal voting rights laws may be filed directly with the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by completing the U.S. Department of Justice Complaint Form | Civil Rights Division or by telephone at 800-253-3931.

“Ensuring free and fair elections depends largely on help from the American electorate,” Esparza said. “It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights issues or voter fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”

If there is a crime of violence or intimidation in or near a voting location, call 911 immediately before contacting federal authorities, Esparza’s office said. State and local police have primary jurisdiction at polling places and almost always have faster response capacity in an emergency, Esparza’s office added.

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