L.A.-Based Federal Prosecutors to Monitor Seven California Counties During November 5 General Election Period

LOS ANGELES - United States Attorney Martin Estrada announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas F. Rybarczyk and Anna P. Boylan will lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department's nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5 general election.

Rybarczyk has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Central District of California, which is comprised of the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo. In that capacity, he is responsible for overseeing the district's handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

"The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy," said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. "My office will be vigilant in upholding the ability of each citizen to vote freely and fairly - without interference or discrimination. Likewise, election officials and staff must be able to work in safety. We will continue our tireless efforts to safeguard our nation's elections."

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. In the months leading up to the election, the United States Attorney's Office has been leading a working group that includes county voting officials and law enforcement leaders to coordinate our protective efforts and ensure a swift and effective response to any election-related security issues and threats. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department's longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and 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.

Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, 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 interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).

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, DEO Rybarczyk and AUSA Boylan will be on duty in this district while the polls are open.

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (310) 477-6565.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov or by phone at (800) 253-3931.

Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.