Acting United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Timothy W. Gist will lead his office’s efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election . AUSA Gist has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming, and in that capacity is 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 Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Wyoming has long managed to hold fair elections; however, we want to ensure that the process is free from interference or discrimination and that election officials and staff are not subjected to unlawful threats of violence,” said Acting United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo. “If you have specific information about concerns about voting rights or election fraud, please report it immediately to the local FBI office or our office so we can take appropriate action.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combating discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and voter fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the election process by providing local points of contact within the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI for the public to report potential federal election law violations.
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 wishes or without their wishes. input It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other actions designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance due to a disability or inability to read or write in English).
To respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the proper authorities, an AUSA/DEO Gist will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in every field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of voter fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI office can be reached by the public at 307-632-6224. AUSA Gist can be reached at the Lander Office: 307-332-8195 or Toll Free at 1-888-266-1309.
Complaints about potential violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. by phone at 800-253-3931 or via a complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster response capacity in an emergency.
