United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today the details of her

office’s efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day

Program for the upcoming November 6, 2012 general elections.

“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

will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process,” United

States Attorney Finley said.

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 longstanding 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 on election day.

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. 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.

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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 abuses on November 6, 2012, and to ensure that such complaints are directed

to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Finley stated that Assistant United

States Attorneys will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. They can be

reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: Shreveport (318-676-3600) or

Lafayette (337-262-6618). The Western District of Louisiana covers 42 parishes and

includes the major cities of Shreveport and Lafayette, as well as Monroe, Alexandria and

Lake Charles.

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 by the public

at the following telephone numbers: Shreveport (318-864-2609) or Lafayette (337-233-

2164).

Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can also 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 Finley said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in

large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who

have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information

available immediately to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”

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