If, come Election Day, you've got a problem at the polls, look no further than Sarah Saldaña, an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Texas. Today, U.S. Attorney Richard Roper announced that Saldaña will be the Northern District's election officer, meaning she'll be responsible for "overseeing the District's handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters." The full release after the jump, including contact information. --Robert Wilonsky
NOVEMBER 2008 ELECTIONS
DALLAS, Texas - United States Attorney Richard B. Roper announced today that Sarah Saldaña, an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Texas, will lead the efforts of his Office in the connection with the Justice Department's nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 4, 2008 general elections. AUSA Sarah Saldaña has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for the Northern District of Texas, 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. The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it, while those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.
In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper stated that Assistant United States Attorney/District Election Officer Sarah Saldaña will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: 214-659-8719 and on November 4, 2008: 972-365-0667.
The FBI will also have Special Agents available in each field office and resident agency in this District to receive allegations of election fraud, intimidation, suppression and other election abuses. The FBI can be reached by the public at 972-559-5248.
Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division's Voting Section in Washington at 1-800-253-3931 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.
