US Attorney General assigns Election Day voter-rights enforcer in Arizona

PHOENIX — The U.S. Attorney General’s Office has appointed a district election officer for Arizona in next week’s fall voting, the agency announced.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Allison was assigned to handle complaints in the state of election fraud and abuse of voting rights. He will consult with the Department of Justice.

Polls will open on Nov. 6 at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

“Our democracy relies upon free and fair elections, and we are asking for community support to help us ensure that every eligible voter can freely exercise his or her right to vote,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange said in statement.

Each state will be assigned an election officer.

The Justice Department’s election day program is tasked with preventing voter intimidation, discrimination at the polls and election fraud. By law, votes cannot be bought or sold, tampered with or altered; voters cannot be impersonated or be forced to mark ballots and ballot boxes cannot be stuffed.

Allison has been scheduled to work from the time the polls open until they close. He will be available by phone at 602-595-2866.

Special agents from the FBI’s Phoenix field office will also take calls reporting possible voting violations at 623-466-1999.

Voter registration increased by more than 80,000 in about two months, the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office said recently.

That pushed the roster past 3.7 million active voters, according to the office.

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