U.S. Attorney Names Election Day Contacts
| U.S. Attorney’s Office October 28, 2010 |
United States Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced today that attorneys will be on duty in Boise, Coeur d’Alene and Pocatello on Tuesday, November 2, to take complaints of election fraud or voting rights violations for the general elections.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George Breitsameter will serve as the District Election Officer for Idaho, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters. He is located in the Boise office and can be reached at (208) 334-1211. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy Cook will handle calls in north Idaho. She is available at (208) 667-6568. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Haycock will take calls from eastern Idaho. He can be reached at (208) 478-4166.
The FBI will also have agents available in its Boise office to handle complaints of election fraud, intimidation, suppression and other election abuses. The FBI can be reached at (208) 344-7843.
In October 2002, Attorney General John Ashcroft established a Ballot Access and Voting Integrity Initiative within the U.S. Department of Justice. It is designed to make voting easier and cheating more difficult by increasing the Department’s ability both to deter election fraud and discrimination at the polls and to prosecute those offenses wherever they occur.
The Justice Department’s longstanding Election Day Program ensures public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact for reporting possible election fraud or voting rights violations while the polls are still open.
“Election fraud and voting rights abuses dilute the value of voting and corrupt the essence of our representative form of government,” Olson said. “They are crimes against both the individuals affected and the people of the United States, and will be dealt with promptly and aggressively.”
Olson said the detection of election fraud depends in large part on the watchfulness and cooperation of the public. “It is important that anyone approached to participate in questionable election practices, or anyone who observes such practices, contact my office or the FBI immediately. The public’s help is critical to protect of sanctity of the ballot box.”
Complaints about ballot access or discrimination can also be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767.