UNITED STATES ATTORNEY NAMES DISTRICT ELECTION OFFICER
United States Attorney Drew H. Wrigley announced today that Rick L. Volk, Assistant United States Attorney, will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 7, 2006, general elections. AUSA Volk has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for the District of North Dakota and in that capacity 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 Wrigley stated that Assistant United States Attorney/DEO Volk will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: (701) 530-2420 and 1-888-828-8050
The FBI will also have Special Agents available in each field office and resident agency in this District to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses. The FBI Election Crime Coordinator for the District of North Dakota is SA Brian J. Kinney. SA Kinney can be reached by the public at (612) 376-3333 and (612) 290-2031.
Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767.
United States Attorney Wrigley said, “Election fraud and voting abuses dilute the honest votes and will not be tolerated. Vote fraud corrupts the essence of our representative government, and 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 of the U. S. Department of Justice.”
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