DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ACTIVATES ELECTION DAY PROGRAM

United States Attorney Gregory R. Miller announced today that, in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 7, 2006 general election, he is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters.

On October 8, 2002, Attorney General Ashcroft established a Department-wide Ballot Access and Voting Integrity Initiative. The goals of this Initiative are to increase the Department’s ability to deter election fraud and discrimination at the polls and to prosecute these offenses whenever and wherever they occur - to make voting easier and cheating harder. Both goals are equally important. It is imperative that in pursuing voter integrity, ballot access is not in any way diminished or harmed. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers the goals of the Initiative. The Program also is intended to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department where the public can report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day. The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it, while 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 7, 2006, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, USA Miller stated that three supervisory federal prosecutors will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. Each will field complaints from counties, as designated below, and can be reached by the public at the telephone numbers listed.

Complaints should be referred to Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Dixie Morrow at 850-554-5995 for the counties of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Washington, Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, and Jackson.

Complaints should be referred to Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Rhew at 850-528-8594 for the counties of Franklin, Leon, Gadsden, Liberty, Jefferson, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla.

Complaints should be referred to Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Sanford at 352-494-7431 for the counties of Alachua, Dixie, Gilchrist, Lafayette, and Levy.

The FBI will also have Special Agents available in the Jacksonville Field Office to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses. The FBI can be reached by the public at 904-721-1211.

Additionally, complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can be made directly to the Election Day Hotline of the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767.

United States Attorney Miller said, “Election fraud and voting rights abuses dilute the worth of votes honestly cast. They also corrupt the essence of our representative form of government. As crimes against both the individual and the government, they will be dealt with promptly and aggressively. Anyone who has information suggesting electoral corruption or voting rights abuses should make that information available immediately to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”