U.S. Attorney’s Office Outlines Election Plans

United States Attorney Erin Nealy Cox announced this week that assistant Damien Diggs will lead the Northern District of Texas’ Election Day Program for the upcoming Nov. 3 general election. 

Diggs will be responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with Justice Department headquarters in Washington.

“Free and fair elections are vital to our American democracy,” said Cox. “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination.  The Department of Justice will always act to protect the integrity of the election process.  If you have specific information about discrimination or election fraud, I urge you to report it to my Office, the Civil Rights Division, or the FBI.”

The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program provides local points of contact within the Justice 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.

This would include instances where persons attempt to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning them, photographing them, or videotaping them under the pretext of investigating illegal voting.  

In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights concerns through Election Day and to make sure those complaints go to the correct authorities, Cox said that Diggs will be at his post as long as the polls are open.

The public can reach him at 214-659-8600.

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 public can reach the local FBI field office at 972-559-5000.

If voters witness potential crimes that involve violence or intimidation, the U.S. Attorney’s office recommends calling 911 immediately before contacting federal authorities.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.