The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado has appointed a dedicated district election officer to handle complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses.
Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer announced on Wednesday that assistant U.S. Attorney Jason St. Julien will lead the efforts in connection with the Justice Departmentap nationwide Election Day Program for the Nov. 8 general elections.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted — and not be stolen by fraud,” Troyer said. “The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The 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 while the polls are open on election day.
Federal law bars intimidation or bribing of 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.
No one is allowed 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.
Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.
St. Julien will be on duty while the polls are open. He can be reached at 303-454-0302.
The FBI will also 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 office can be reached at 303-629-7171.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767, by fax at 202-307-3961, by e-mail tovoting.section@usdoj.gov or by filing an .
