November 2010 Elections

United States Attorney David C. Weiss announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Patricia C. Hannigan will lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 2, 2010 general elections. AUSA Hannigan has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Delaware 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 in Washington.

United States Attorney Weiss said, “Every eligible citizen must be able to vote without interference and to have that vote counted without subversion through discrimination, intimidation, suppression, coercion or fraud. The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”

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 possible election fraud, voter intimidation, and voting rights violations while the polls are open on Election Day.

In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 2, 2010, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Weiss stated that Assistant United States Attorney/DEO Patricia Hannigan will be on duty in this district while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: (302) 573-6277, extension 156.

The FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. In New Castle County, the FBI can be reached by the public at (302) 658-4391. In Kent and Sussex Counties, the FBI can be reached by the public at (302) 734-3517.

Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington at 1-800-253-3931 and TTY 1-877-267-8971. Individuals can also report complaints, problems, or concerns related to voting via the Internet—complaints can be submitted through a link on the Department’s web page: http://www.justice.gov/crt/voting.

United States Attorney Weiss said, “The effectiveness of our Election Day Program depends in large part on the watchfulness and cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”