October 23, 2008
For more information contact:
Supervisory AUSA Karen Rhew
(850) 942-8430
NOVEMBER 2008 ELECTIONS
TALLAHASSEE - Thomas F. Kirwin, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced today that Assistant United States Attorney Christopher P. Canova will lead the efforts of the US Attorney’s Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 4, 2008 general elections. AUSA Canova has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer 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 voter intimidation, suppression, discrimination and election fraud 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.
In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 4, 2008, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/District Election Officer Christopher P. Canova will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: (850) 942-8430 and (850) 528-2621.
The FBI will also have Special Agents available in each field office and resident agency in this District to receive allegations of election fraud, voter intimidation, voter suppression and other election abuses. The FBI can be reached by the public at (904) 721-1211.
Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington at (800) 253-3931 or (202) 307-2767. Where voter intimidation or suppression tactics target voters on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin, please contact the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section at (202) 514-3204.
Acting United States Attorney Thomas F. Kirwin said, “The integrity of the election process is the cornerstone of democracy. Therefore, any effort to corrupt the process by which we elect our representatives must be dealt with promptly and aggressively. It is imperative that every honest vote be counted and not diluted by those who wish to alter the results. Anyone with information relating to election fraud, voter intimidation or voter suppression should immediately report such information to my office, the FBI or the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.”