U.S. attorneys set election overseers

The U.S. attorneys in the state's eastern and western districts of Arkansas have announced their efforts, as part of the U.S. Department of Justice's nationwide Election Day program, to oversee their districts' handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses.

Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas has separately announced that it has united with other social justice groups and lawyers across Arkansas to work with the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law and their National Commission on Voting Rights to provide a voting and election hotline for Arkansas voters.

In a joint announcement Friday, U.S. attorneys Chris Thyer and Connor Eldridge, representing the eastern and western districts of the state, respectively, identified the assistant U.S. attorneys in their offices who will be serving as each district's election officer, whose duties include handling complaints in consultation with the Justice Department in Washington. The officers will be Tricia Harris in the eastern district, headquartered in Little Rock, and Kenny Elser in the western district, headquartered in Fort Smith.

Thyer and Eldridge said the Department of Justice "will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process." The department's longstanding Election Day program furthers the goals of deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local contacts to whom the public may report possible fraud or violations while the polls are open Election Day, Nov. 4.

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 to allow voters to vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them, such as from people questioning or challenging them or photographing or videotaping them at polling places under the pretext of uncovering illegal actions. Federal law also protects the rights of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.

Harris and Elser will be on duty in their respective districts while the polls are open. Harris can be reached at (501) 340-2600 and Elser at (479) 494-4071.

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency across the country to take allegations of fraud or other election abuses on Election Day. In Arkansas, the public can reach them at (501) 221-9100.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division's Voting Section in Washington by calling 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by sending an email to [email protected], or by sending a complaint form at www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.

The ACLU's national voter hotline is 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683). Through the hotline, the participating groups will guide voters through the voting process by answering questions such as how to check their registration, when and where they vote, and the voting process in general. They also will offer advice on troubleshooting any obstacles at the polls. For resources and educational materials regarding elections in Arkansas, visit www.acluarkansas.org/voting-rights.

Metro on 10/28/2014

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