Press Release by United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler Relating to November 2014 Elections

Anchorage, Alaska – United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler, announced today that Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh will lead the efforts of her office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 4, 2014, general elections.  Mr. Cavanaugh has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Alaska 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 in Washington.

United States Attorney Loeffler said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen.  The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur.  The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on Election Day.

Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input.  It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them.  For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law.  Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.

The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy.  We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose.  To ensure that complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Loeffler stated that Kelly Cavanaugh, Assistant U.S. Attorney/District Election Officer, will be on duty in this District while the polls are open.  The public can reach Mr. Cavanaugh by telephone at 907-271-5071.