The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District
of Pennsylvania announced today that three senior Assistant
United States Attorneys will lead the Office’s efforts in
connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day
Program for the upcoming November 6, 2012 general elections.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Pfisterer, Deputy Chief of the
Criminal Division, has been appointed to serve as the District
Election Officer (DEO) and to cover the Harrisburg office;
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Houser has been appointed to
serve as the Assistant District Election Officer (ADEO) for the
Scranton office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney George Rocktashel
has been appointed to serve as the Assistant District Election
(ADEO) for the Williamsport office. These three career
prosecutors will be 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 Peter J. Smith said:
“The Department of Justice will act promptly and
aggressively to protect the integrity of the election
process and no vote should be lost, omitted or stolen
through fraud. The Department 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 seeks to ensure public
confidence in the integrity of the election process by
providing local points of contact in each federal
judicial district for the public and state and local
government officials to report possible election fraud
and voting rights violations.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also released a letter sent
yesterday to the Pennsylvania State Attorney General’s Office and
the Pennsylvania Department of State concerning the federal role
in protection of the franchise and providing contact information
regarding the federal district election officers.
The letter states that federal law protects against such
crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling
votes, 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 laws. Further, federal law protects the
right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a
person of their choice.
The letter provides the names and contact information for
state election officials and the public to report complaints of
election fraud or voting rights abuses related to the November 6,
2012 election. United States Attorney Smith stated that his
offices’ election officers will be on duty in the District while
the polls are open.
In addition, the letter states that the FBI will have
special agents available in each field office and resident agency
to receive allegations of election fraud and other election
abuses on election day. Local FBI field offices for the Middle
District of Pennsylvania can be reached by the public at
Harrisburg 717-232-8686, Scranton 570-344-2404, Williamsport 570-
323-3791, State College 814-234-0341, and Allentown 610-433-6488.
A listing of the contact information is provided at the end
of this press release.
Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination
can be made directly to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights
Division’s Voting Section in Washington at 1-800-253-3931 or
(202) 307-2767.
of Pennsylvania announced today that three senior Assistant
United States Attorneys will lead the Office’s efforts in
connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day
Program for the upcoming November 6, 2012 general elections.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Pfisterer, Deputy Chief of the
Criminal Division, has been appointed to serve as the District
Election Officer (DEO) and to cover the Harrisburg office;
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Houser has been appointed to
serve as the Assistant District Election Officer (ADEO) for the
Scranton office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney George Rocktashel
has been appointed to serve as the Assistant District Election
(ADEO) for the Williamsport office. These three career
prosecutors will be 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 Peter J. Smith said:
“The Department of Justice will act promptly and
aggressively to protect the integrity of the election
process and no vote should be lost, omitted or stolen
through fraud. The Department 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 seeks to ensure public
confidence in the integrity of the election process by
providing local points of contact in each federal
judicial district for the public and state and local
government officials to report possible election fraud
and voting rights violations.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also released a letter sent
yesterday to the Pennsylvania State Attorney General’s Office and
the Pennsylvania Department of State concerning the federal role
in protection of the franchise and providing contact information
regarding the federal district election officers.
The letter states that federal law protects against such
crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling
votes, 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 laws. Further, federal law protects the
right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a
person of their choice.
The letter provides the names and contact information for
state election officials and the public to report complaints of
election fraud or voting rights abuses related to the November 6,
2012 election. United States Attorney Smith stated that his
offices’ election officers will be on duty in the District while
the polls are open.
In addition, the letter states that the FBI will have
special agents available in each field office and resident agency
to receive allegations of election fraud and other election
abuses on election day. Local FBI field offices for the Middle
District of Pennsylvania can be reached by the public at
Harrisburg 717-232-8686, Scranton 570-344-2404, Williamsport 570-
323-3791, State College 814-234-0341, and Allentown 610-433-6488.
A listing of the contact information is provided at the end
of this press release.
Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination
can be made directly to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights
Division’s Voting Section in Washington at 1-800-253-3931 or
(202) 307-2767.