CASPER, Wyo. — Acting Wyoming U.S. Attorney Eric Heimann has named the officer who will oversee the U.S. Department of Justice’s nationwide Election Day Program for the Nov. 5 general election in Wyoming.
As district election officer, Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Sprecher will be responsible for overseeing the Wyoming District’s handling of Election Day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff and election fraud, according to a press release from the Wyoming U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The Wyoming program will work with the U.S. Department of Justice Headquarters in Washington.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” Heimann said.
“Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence,” he said. “The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice’s longstanding Election Day Program seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
The Voting Rights Act protects against election violations such as:
- Threatening violence against election officials or staff
- Intimidating or bribing voters
- Buying and selling votes
- Impersonating voters
- Altering vote tallies
- Stuffing ballot boxes
- Marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input
The program also contains special protections for the rights of voters so they can vote free from interference, including intimidation and acts intended to prevent or discourage them from voting or from voting for the candidate of their choice.
The Voting Rights Act also protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice when they need help because of disability or inability to read or write in English.
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy, Heinmann said.
“We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice,” he said.
District Election Officer Sprecher will be on duty to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities.
She can be reached by the public at 307-261-5434.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency nationwide to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI field office can be reached at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., by a form at civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
Those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud should make that information available to the Department of Justice. In the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, though, call 911 immediately before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
