United States Attorneys Stuart and Powell Launch Statewide Election Fraud Task Force

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart for the Southern District of West Virginia and United States Attorney Bill Powell for the Northern District of West Virginia today announced the formation of the West Virginia Election Fraud Task Force to identify, investigate and prosecute fraud related to the 2020 West Virginia election including the Primary Election scheduled for June 9, 2020. 

West Virginia has more than 1.2 million registered voters eligible to participate in the June 9th Primary Election.  There are more than 1,700 polling locations available throughout the state for in-person voting on election day.

The West Virginia Election Fraud Task Force will be led by Assistant United States Attorneys from both the Southern and Northern Districts of West Virginia, Special Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and investigators from the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Erik Goes has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Southern District of West Virginia and AUSA Stephen D. Warner has been designated as the DEO for the Northern District of West Virginia.  The AUSAs are responsible for overseeing the federal response to any complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with state authorities, the FBI, and Justice Department headquarters.

“Free and fair elections are the foundations of liberty and freedom,” said United States Attorney Stuart. “Election fraud has always been a priority for the Department of Justice.  This year, with the national emergency related to coronavirus and the increase in social distancing, social media, absentee voting and mail in ballots, it is more important than ever that we use every resource available to ensure that every vote is counted and every vote is legitimate. I look forward to working with the Election Fraud Task Force and U.S. Attorney Powell on this important effort.”

“Compliance with our election laws is extraordinarily important to our democratic way of life.  It is my privilege to work with my colleague, U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart and our state election officers.  We are committed to the enforcement of our laws so that the election is fair and above reproach,” said Bill Powell, U.S. Attorney, Northern District of West Virginia.

"Americans have a right to expect fair, open and honest elections: it’s a cornerstone of our democracy," said FBI Pittsburgh Acting Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel. "We know we have adversaries, foreign and domestic, who are very aggressive and have an interest in providing disinformation to disrupt our political process. That's why the FBI, along with its state, local and other federal partners, will continue to work together to make sure the integrity of our elections is secure."

"I am very pleased to join U.S. Attorneys Stuart and Powell in this effort to help deter and prosecute election fraud in West Virginia," said WV Secretary of State Mac Warner.  "These are extraordinary times calling for an extraordinary partnership to protect the integrity of our elections and to maintain confidence among the voters."

According to Secretary Warner, the use of absentee ballots could present additional opportunities for voter fraud during an election.  Every voter in West Virginia qualifies for an absentee ballot for the 2020 Primary Election due to the heightened precautions of the coronavirus pandemic.  In-person voting remains an option for voters during the early voting period and on Election Day, and local election officials are using every precaution to keep voters and poll workers safe. However, due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, substantial increases in the use of absentee-by-mail ballots is anticipated during the June 9th Primary Election.

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 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.

Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, 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.  For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law.  Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.

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.  In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on June 9, 2020, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorneys Stuart and Powell stated that AUSAs/DEOs Goes and Warner will be on duty while the polls are open.  AUSA Goes can be reached at 304-345-2200 and AUSA Warner can be reached at 304-636-1739.

In addition, the FBI will have Special Agents available to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on June 9, 2020.  The FBI can be reached by the public at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5342).

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by e-mail to voting.section@usdoj.gov or by complaint form at https://www.justice.gov/crt/contacting-voting-section.