Assistant U.S. attorney appointed election watchdog for district

SAN DIEGO — Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher P. Tenorio has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for the Southern District of California, which includes San Diego and Imperial Counties.

Tenorio will be responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The announcement was made Monday by Adam L. Braverman, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California.

“We are committed to ensuring that every citizen will have the right to vote without interference or discrimination,” Braverman said. “Anyone with information regarding voting fraud or election abuses is encouraged to immediately contact our local FBI Office or our District Election Officer.”

The Department of Justice hopes to deter and prosecute election fraud and discrimination occurring at the polls. The department also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations.

Braverman said Tenorio will be on duty while the polls are open during Election Day. He can be reached at (619) 5468413.

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available to receive allegations of election fraud, intimidation, suppression of votes and other election abuses. The FBI can be reached at (858) 320-1800. Information can also be submitted to tips.fbi.gov. Complaints may also be made directly to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, Voting Section in Washington, D.C., at (800) 253-3931 or (202) 307-2767.

Federal law protects against crimes such as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots against voters’ wishes or without their input.

The law also contains special protections for eligible voters to exercise their rights free from intimidation or harassment. Prohibited actions include those designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that such actions are necessary to uncover illegal voting.

Further, federal law protects the right of voters to cast their own ballot or receive assistance from a person of their choice.