DENVER — United States Attorney Cole Finegan announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Cyrus Y. Chung will lead his Office’s efforts in connection with the Department of Justice’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general choice AUSA Chung has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Colorado, 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 Department of Justice Headquarters in Washington.
U.S. Attorney Finegan said, “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 unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
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 election workers, and election 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 Department for the public to report potential federal election law violations.
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 counts, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without. their 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).
“Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the help of the American electorate,” said US Attorney Finegan. “To respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and voter fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the proper authorities, AUSA/DEO Chung will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached at the public at the following telephone number: (303) 454-0159.”
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 (303) 629-7171.
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.
