October 23, 2014

Justice Department Election Day Program

United States Attorney Walt Green announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office and the local Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters, are prepared to receive and review allegations of election fraud and voting rights abuses related to the upcoming November elections.

The Justice Department’s Election Day Program seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations.

Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, altering vote tallies, submission of fraudulent votes, and voting for another person against his wishes or without his input. The law contains special protection for the rights of voters. Voters have a right to cast their own votes or to be assisted by a person of their choice. Additionally, voters have a right to vote free from acts of intimidation or harassment. For example, actions designed to intimidate or interrupt voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting, may violate federal voting rights law.

To report suspected election fraud or interference with the right to vote, members of the public can contact the United States Attorney’s Office at 225-336-8856 or 225-389-0443. Members of the public can also make such reports to the FBI at 225-291-5159. Additionally, complaints regarding possible violations of voting rights laws can be made directly to the Justice Department’s Voting Section by phone to 800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767, by fax to 202-307-3961, by e-mail to voting.section@usdoj.gov, or on the Internet at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index/php.