CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh will lead his Office’s efforts in connection with the Department of Justice’s National Election Day Program for November 8, 2022, the upcoming general election. Assistant United States Attorneys Lena Busscher in the Abingdon Division, Michael Baudinet in the Roanoke Division, and Ronald M. Huber in the Charlottesville Division have been appointed to serve as District Election Officers (DEO) for the Western District of Virginia. In that capacity, they are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints about voting rights issues, threats of violence against election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with the Department of Justice Headquarters in Washington.
“Every citizen should be able to vote without interference or discrimination and have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff should be able to serve without being subject to the threat of violence. The Department of Justice continues to work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the electoral process ,” said United States Attorney Kavanaugh.
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combating discrimination and acts of intimidation in polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day program furthers this goal and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the election process by providing a local point of contact within the Department for the public to report possible violations of federal election law.
Federal law protects against crimes such as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote counts, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their will or without their input. It also contains specific protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including acts of intimidation, and other actions designed to prevent or prevent people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their ballots themselves or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where the voter needs assistance because of a disability or inability to read or write in English).
“Franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all need to make sure that people who have the right to vote can exercise that right if they choose, and that those who seek to undermine the voting system are brought to justice,” said United States Attorney Kavanaugh. “For responding to complaints about voting rights issues during the upcoming elections, we must ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities.”
AUSA/DEOs Busscher, Baudinet, and Huber will be on duty in this District when the polls open and can be reached by the public at the following phone number: 540-857-2250.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in every field office and resident agency across the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. Local FBI field offices can be reached by the public at 804-261-1044.
Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Division of Civil Rights in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or via the complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
United States Attorney Kavanaugh added, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on helping American voters. It is important that people with specific information about voting rights issues or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a violent crime or act of intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have the capacity to react more quickly in an emergency.
