United States Attorney Andrew Lelling announced that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Eugenia Carris will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming Nov. 3, 2020, general election.
AUSA Carris has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Massachusetts, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Fair elections are the foundation of our democracy,” said U.S. Attorney Lelling. “Every citizen has the Constitutional right to cast his or her vote on election day free from intimidation, harassment and discrimination. The Department of Justice will do its part to ensure the integrity of the election process by enforcing federal laws that protect voters and investigating reports of fraud. We encourage the public to report concerns to us.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, 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 while the polls are open through Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, 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. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate 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. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise 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 concerns during the voting period that ends on Nov. 3, 2020, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Carris will be on duty in Massachusetts while the polls are open and can be reached by the public at 617-748-3363.
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 on Election Day. The local FBI field office can be reached at 857-386-2000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can also be made to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
In the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and are equipped to respond to an emergency.