State attorneys on hand to accept election-related complaints

Officials with the Idaho district of the U.S. Attorney's office will remain on duty in places like Boise on Tuesday to take complaints of election fraud or voting rights violations for the general elections.

Assistant U.S. Attorney George Breitsameter will serve as the state's election officer and is responsible for overseeing the district's handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department headquarters.

Voters in Mountain Home and Elmore County can contact his Boise office at 334-1211.

In addition, the FBI will have agents available at its Boise office to handle complaints of election fraud, intimidation, suppression and other election abuses. People can reach the FBI's Boise office at 344-7843.

In October 2002, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft established the ballot access and voting integrity initiative within the U.S. Department of Justice. It's designed to make voting easier and cheating more difficult by increasing the department's ability both to deter election fraud and discrimination at the polls and to prosecute those offenses wherever they occur, according to officials with the state district office.

The Justice Department's long-standing election day program ensures public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact for reporting possible election fraud or voting rights violations while the polls are still open, officials added.

"Election fraud and voting rights abuses dilute the value of voting and corrupt the essence of our representative form of government," said U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson. "They are crimes against both the individuals affected and the people of the United States and will be dealt with promptly and aggressively."

Olson said the detection of election fraud depends in large part on the watchfulness and cooperation of the public.

"It is important that anyone approached to participate in questionable election practices, or anyone who observes such practices, contact my office or the FBI immediately. The public's help is critical to protect of sanctity of the ballot box."

People can also make complaints about ballot access or discrimination directly to the civil rights division's voting section at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767.