U.S. Attorney Appoints Election Officers to Respond to Election Fraud or Voting Rights Complaints in Maine

PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney Andrew B. Benson announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) John Osborn and Andrew McCormack will lead his office's efforts in connection with the Justice Department's nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 3 general election. AUSAs Osborn and McCormack have been appointed as the District Election Officers for the District of Maine. In that capacity they will be responsible for overseeing the District's handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns.

"Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of American democracy," U.S. Attorney Benson said. "One of government's most important tasks is to ensure that citizens can vote without interference or discrimination and that their votes are counted without being stolen because of fraud. The U.S. Attorney's Office and the entire Department of Justice will always use whatever means are necessary to protect the integrity of the election process."

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department's long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open through Election Day.

Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against elections officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, voting by non-citizens in state or federal elections, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).

The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. To respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights concerns during the voting period that ends on November 3, 2026, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSAs Osborn and McCormack will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. Osborn can be reached in Portland at (207) 771-3214, and McCormack can be reached in Bangor at (207) 262-4615.

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (207) 774-9322.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at (855) 856-1247 (toll free) or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/electionintegrity.

Please note, however, that in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

"I urge anyone who receives specific information regarding election fraud, interference or discrimination to contact my office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division," said U.S. Attorney Benson. "We are here to ensure a free and fair election, but we need the public's help to pass along what they see or hear."

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