Officials will be on duty to prevent election fraud

U.S. Attorney Stephanie Rose announced Wednesday there will be federal prosecutors and FBI agents on duty to handle complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses for the upcoming Nov. 2 election.

Rose in a news release said Assistant U.S.  Attorney Daniel Tvedt will head up the efforts in the Northern District in connection with the U.S. Department of Justice's nationwide Election

Day Program. Tvedt is the district's election officer and oversees the district's handling of election complaints.

“We have been fortunate in Iowa that election abuses are not the norm,” Rose said. “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud.”

A Ballot Access and Voting Integrity Initiative was established eight years ago by the Department of Justice, Rose said. The goals of this initiative are to increase the ability to deter election fraud and discrimination at the polls and to prosecute election offenses if they occur.

Tvedt will be on duty to handle election complaints while the polls are open, Rose said. He can be reached at the (319)-731-4020.

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and throughout the country on election day to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses.

The FBI office in Cedar Rapids can be contacted at

(319)-366-2461 and in Omaha at 402-493-8688. Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can also be made directly to the Civil Rights Division's Voting Section in Washington at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767.

“If anyone has specific information about discrimination or election fraud, it is important for them to report that information

immediately to my Office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division,” Rose said.