US Department of Justice emphasizes voter rights protection • Ohio Capital Journal

WASHINGTON. Less than a week before polls close on Nov. 5, the U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday reaffirmed its efforts to protect voter access to the ballot box through its civil rights, national security and criminal justice divisions.

“Protecting the right to vote, prosecuting election crimes, and securing our elections are all essential to maintaining the confidence of all Americans in our democratic system of government,” the US Department of Justice said in a news release.

The Justice Department said any complaints of violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should first be reported to local authorities by calling 911 and then to the agency for follow-up.

in Washington State and Oregon set fire to two ballot boxes. in North Carolina, Yellow signs in Spanish appeared near polling places warning people that non-citizen voting was illegal, which rights activists called voter intimidation.

There is increased concern from representatives of election authorities and pro-democracy groups about attempts to disrupt the election process and the possibility of violence after the results are known.

The presidential winner is unlikely to be announced on election night or even the next day, about which election officials warned can easily sow distrust in official results.

In Maricopa County, Arizona, the nation’s fourth most populous county, local and federal law enforcement officials said they were ready for violence. Maricopa County was at the forefront conspiracy theories about election fraud in 2020.

Violation of civil rights

According to the agency, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division “is responsible for enforcing the civil provisions of federal laws that protect the right to vote and the criminal provisions of federal laws that prohibit discriminatory interference with that right.”

Any civil rights violations should be reported to the agency at 800-253-3931 or online.

This department enforces the laws of the Voting Rights Act, the National Voter Registration Act, the In-Form and Abroad Voting Act, the American Voting Act, and the Civil Rights Acts.

These laws prohibit voter intimidation and election practices that are either discriminatory or discriminatory on the basis of “race, color, or linguistic minority status.”

The Justice Department said that during the election, its lawyers “will be ready to receive complaints about possible violations of any laws that the Civil Rights Division enforces.”

Election-related crimes

The Department of Justice’s Criminal Division enforces federal laws related to election crimes such as voter fraud, ballot destruction, vote bribery, fraudulent ballot submissions, vote tampering, and misconduct by election officials and employees.

It also includes any threats of violence against election officials and voter intimidation for reasons other than discrimination.

The Justice Department said any election-related complaints should be directed to local US attorney’s office or local FBI office.

The Department of Justice’s National Security Division will handle any cases involving foreign influence.

In September, the Department of Justice disclosed the allegations about the Russian government’s efforts to spread propaganda and attempt to influence voters, including the 2024 presidential election.

“As in past elections, the National Security Division will work closely with colleagues in the FBI and our U.S. Attorneys’ offices to protect our nation’s elections from any threats to national security,” the Department of Justice said in a statement.

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