US Attorney's Office names district election officers to handle Election Day complaints
Two assistant United States Attorneys in Nebraska have been appointed district election officers, responsible for overseeing the district's handling of Election Day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff and election fraud, in consultation with the Justice Department.
United States Attorney Susan Lehr said Christopher Ferretti and Shereece Dendy-Sanders will lead the efforts in Nebraska in connection with the Justice Department's longstanding, nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming Nov. 5 general election.
"Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election," Lehr said. "Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence."
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against 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.
It also contains protections for voters so they can vote free from interference, including intimidation or and other acts to prevent or discourage them from voting or voting.
* Ferretti and Dendy-Sanders will be on duty in Nebraska while the polls are open and can be reached by the public at 402-661-3700.
* The FBI also 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 402-493-8688.
* Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws also can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division at or by phone at 800-253-3931.
"Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. 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," Lehr said.
She advised calling 911 immediately to report cases of violence or intimidation. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency, Lehr said.
Reach the writer at 402-473-7237 or .
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