As next month's General Election approaches, an assistant U.S. attorney will be leading New Mexico's part in the U.S. Department of Justice's nationwide program to get ahead of any threats and fraud.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Peña is again leading New Mexico's part in DOJ's Election Day Program, U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez announced in an Oct. 19 DOJ news release.
"Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election," Uballez said in the news release. "Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process."
Peña, who also lead News Mexico's part in the DOJ election program in 2020, is this year's district election officer in New Mexico, the release reported. District election officers oversee the handling of election day complaints about voting rights, threats of violence against election officials or staff and election fraud, all in full consultation with DOJ's headquarters in Washington.
Voters' rights to free and fair elections are protected by federal laws against, among other things, intimidation or bribery, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, changing vote tallies and stuffing ballot boxes, according to the release. Threats of violence made against election officials and poll workers, as well as election fraud, are issues the DOJ works to prevent. Wherever these violations occur, the department will deal with them.
By providing local points of contact for the public to report potential federal election law violations, the department's long-standing Election Day program advances these objectives and seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process, the release reported.
Additionally, federal law contains special safeguards for voters' rights, ensuring they can exercise their right to vote without being subjected to interference, intimidation or other actions intended to dissuade them from casting a ballot or supporting a particular candidate, according to the release. The Voting Rights Act safeguards a voter's right to cast their own ballot or with assistance from a chosen third party.
