TMP Reports
Posted: Wednesday, November 5, 2008 1:36 pm

Edward M. Yarbrough, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, announced Friday Steve Jordan and Ty Howard, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Middle District of Tennessee, will lead the efforts with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming Nov. 4 general elections.

AUSAs Jordan and Howard have been appointed to serve as the District Election Officers for the Middle District of Tennessee, and in that capacity are 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, then-Attorney General John 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 on Nov, 4, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, Yarbrough stated Jordan and Howard will be on duty in this District while the polls are open.

They can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: Steve Jordan,
615-736-2083 and Ty Howard, 615-337-9360.

In addition, the FBI will 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 at (615) 232-7500.

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.

Yarbrough said, “Election fraud and voting rights abuses dilute the worth of votes honestly cast. They also corrupt the essence of our representative form of government. As crimes against both the individual and the government, they will be dealt with promptly and aggressively. Anyone who has information suggesting electoral corruption or voting rights abuses should make that information available immediately to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”