Concerned about voting fraud? Here's how to report it in Louisiana
The U.S. Department of Justice's Election Day Program will oversee complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials and staff, and voter fraud in Louisiana during the Nov. 8 mid-term election.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cytheria Jernigan and Karen King will oversee the program for the Western District of Louisiana, which covers virtually all of the state west of Baton Rouge including Lafayette, Shreveport, Monroe, Alexandria, and Lake Charles.
The Election Day Program seeks to deter and combat discrimination and intimidation at the polls, including to workers, and election fraud, according to a release from the department. It also aims to ensure public confidence in the electoral process.
In addition to the federal program, Louisiana Republican Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, the state's chief elections officer, also reminds voters who suspect fraud that they should call his compliance unit at 800-722-5305.
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“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown said in a statement. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
Federal law protects against threatening election officials or staff, 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.
Since the 2020 presidential election, election workers and other voting rights, like ballot drop boxes, have been thrust into the spotlight.
Local election workers have added protection plans to jobs that once celebrated the cycles of democratic engagement, USA TODAY reported. Threats to their well-being have drawn the attention of federal authorities, while new plans are emerging for even more aggressive monitoring of polling places by partisan political operatives.
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“Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate," Brown said in a statement. "It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Complaints about violations in the Shreveport, Monroe and Alexandria areas should be directed to Jernigan at 318-676-3600. Complaints about violations in the Lafayette or Lake Charles areas should be directed to King at 337-262-6618. Complaints also can be emailed to usalaw.election-fraud@usdoj.gov.
In the event of a crime of violence or intimidation, the DOJ said a witness should call 911 before contacting federal authorities because state and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places and will likely be able to respond faster.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: How to report voting fraud, voter intimidation in Louisiana
