Election Day Officer and Investigators on Duty to Examine Complaints of Fraud or Votor Rights Abuses

SPOKANE—Michael C. Ormsby, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Alex C. Ekstrom will lead the efforts in his office in connection with the Justice department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 6, 2012 general elections. AUSA Ekstrom has been appointed to serve as the district election officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of Washington. In this capacity, AUSA Ekstrom 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, D.C.

United States Attorney Ormsby said, “The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process. Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud.”

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals and also 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, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. Federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballots or to be assisted by a person of their choice.

Voting is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to vote exercise their right it if they choose and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2012, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA Ekstrom will be on duty in this district until voting is complete. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: (509) 454- 4425 or (509) 205-2274. In addition, 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. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (509) 458-8100.

Complaints about ballot access problems, election fraud, or discrimination can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, D.C., at 1-800- 253-3931 or (202) 307-2767.

United States Attorney Ormsby said, “It is vitally important that anyone who has specific information about election fraud or voter rights abuses make the information available immediately to my office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division. The cooperation of the American electorate helps ensure free and fair elections.”