As the November 5 general election draws closer, U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza ensures that the polls of Texas will be places where democracy is upheld untainted. Esparza's office heralded the appointment of Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Devlin as the principal overseer for election integrity in the Western District of Texas. According to a statement obtained by the Justice Department, Devlin's responsibilities include monitoring complaints of voting rights concerns, potential threats, and instances of election fraud, working in coordination with officials in Washington, D.C.
In a determined step, the Election Day Program is in place to deter and counteract acts such as voter intimidation or the outright purchase and sale of votes. The system operates under federal law, which has a severe disdain for crimes that include, but are not limited to, threatening violence against election officials or staff and altering vote tallies. "The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy," Esparza said in an official statement. He emphasized the importance of responding to these concerns promptly on election day to maintain the integrity of the electoral process.
Matthew Devlin, serving as the District Election Officer (DEO), acts as the point of contact for the public to report any possible infractions of federal election laws. On election day, when the polls remain open, Devlin will be on duty, reachable by the public at (512) 916-5858. If the need arises, the FBI is also prepared, with special agents on standby in each field office to address allegations of election fraud and abuses. The San Antonio and El Paso field offices can be contacted at their respective phone numbers listed in the Justice Department's announcement.
For concerns around violations of federal voting rights laws, the public can take recourse by reaching out directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington DC through a complaint form or phone. Should the issue instead encompass a crime of violence or intimidation at or near a polling place, the instructions are explicit: call 911 first before reaching out to federal authorities. The local authorities are pointed out for their primary jurisdiction over polling places and their ability to respond swiftly in emergencies.
