Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Monday morning the Department of Justice is on high alert ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections and will ensure the voting rights of all Americans are protected.
“Voting rights are constitutional rights, and they’re part of what it means to be an American,” Sessions released in a statement. “The Department of Justice has been entrusted with an indispensable role in securing these rights for the people of this nation. This year we are using every lawful tool that we have, both civil and criminal, to protect the rights of millions of Americans to cast their vote unimpeded at one of more than 170,000 precincts across America. Citizens of America control this country through their selection of their governmental officials at the ballot box. Likewise, fraud in the voting process will not be tolerated. Fraud also corrupts the integrity of the ballot.”
Members of the voting public are being urged to contact the Department through a hotline should they witness voter fraud or other abuse.
On Election Day, the Division staff members will be available all day by telephone to receive complaints from the public related to possible violations of the federal voting rights laws (1-800-253-3931 toll free or 202-307-2767 or TTY 202-305-0082). In addition, individuals may also report complaints by fax to 202-307-3961, by email to voting.section@usdoj.gov, and by a complaint form on the Department’s website: www.justice.gov/crt/votercomplaint.
A number of Civil Rights Division attorneys will be deployed to polling locations across the country Tuesday.