Federal government steps up efforts to protect poll workers, voters and election integrity

The Justice Department is preparing to protect voters, election workers and the integrity of the Nov. 5 presidential election, which could spark some controversy given the stormy political climate, not to mention the chaos of four years – notably in Detroit.

That’s where hundreds of Republican challengers converged on a downtown convention hall in 2020 and banged on the windows, chanting “stop the count” as volunteers counted the state’s 167,000 mail-in ballots. city. The scene was even more intense inside the counting room as Republican challengers formed circles around the ballot counters, clapping and shouting “Stop the count!” “, convinced, without any proof, that something nefarious was happening. That chaos erupted when the statewide tide turned in favor of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden the day after Election Day, as more votes were counted. Republicans have sounded the alarm for volunteers to travel to Detroit to challenge the vote counting process.

Biden ended up winning Michigan by 154,000 votes, defeating Republican candidate Donald Trump, who received 47.8% of the vote to Biden’s 50.6%.

It remains to be seen whether Detroit will be hit with more chaos this election.

This time around, the Republican National Committee announced it would send 200,000 “patriots” to observe polls across the country as Trump continues to falsely claim the last election was stolen.

“I’m only here because they’re cheating…especially in Philadelphia,” Trump said at a rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, last month. “Philadelphia is out of control. Detroit is out of control. Atlanta is out of control.”

The federal government, meanwhile, is bracing for a second round of electoral chaos.

On Thursday, the DOJ announced that federal prosecutors across the country had been assigned to serve as election officials who would oversee Election Day complaints about voting rights issues, threats of violence against election officials or staff and electoral fraud. The FBI will also participate in this effort.

“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and have their vote counted in fair and free elections. Likewise, public officials and election workers must be able to serve without being subjected to unlawful threats of violence,” U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison, who represents metro Detroit and the entire Eastern District of Michigan, said Thursday in a press release.

Ison said the U.S. Attorney’s Office will be available on Election Day to respond to any complaints of voting rights violations and voter fraud, as well as threats of violence directed at election workers.

“We will address these violations wherever they occur,” said Ison, who urged voters to watch this PSA before heading to the polls.

Ison also emphasized that the Justice Department is committed to protecting “the integrity of the electoral process,” which covers many areas. Federal law prohibits many activities during elections, including:

discrimination and intimidation during elections
Threats of violence directed against election officials and poll workers
Voter fraud
Corrupt or impersonate voters, or buy and sell votes
Altering vote counts, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking voters’ ballots against their wishes or without their input.

The Justice Department also wants voters to know that they have the right to be free from any actions intended to discourage them from voting for a specific candidate. Under the Voting Rights Act, voters also have the option of marking their own ballot or having someone help them if, for example, they have a disability or cannot read or read. write English.

“Voting is the cornerstone of American democracy,” Ison 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.”

The Justice Department cautions, however, that in the event of violent crime or election intimidation, the public should call 911 immediately before contacting federal authorities, as state and local police have jurisdiction over the scene. vote and can react more quickly.

Voters in metro Detroit who suspect voter fraud or intimidation can contact Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Martin, who has been assigned to act as district elections official in the Eastern District of Michigan. He will be on duty while polls are open and can be contacted by the public at (313) 226-9168. » The FBI will also have special agents to receive complaints alleging voter fraud or other abuses on Election Day. The public can contact the FBI at (313)965-2323.

Contact Tresa Baldas at [email protected].

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