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Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, the Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission and the chief state's attorney, in partnership with the regional U.S. attorney and FBI special agent in charge, announced the hotline on Thursday. It is for anyone who witnesses or experiences voting irregularities on Election Day.
The hotline will be staffed by the Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission during polling hours — 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. — on Election Day.
Anyone with knowledge of election fraud or voting rights abuses is encouraged to call 866-733-2463 (866-SEEC-INFO) to report any suspected violations. People can also call the SEEC at 860-256-2940.
SEEC staff will answer questions, advise on complaint procedures and, if appropriate, request the assistance of state or federal law enforcement authorities to investigate and possibly prosecute violations.
Citizens can also email elections@ct.gov to communicate with the SEEC and the Secretary of the State's office on Election Day.
The SEEC is the primary elections investigative and civil enforcement authority in Connecticut. The Secretary of the State's office is charged with overseeing all elections in Connecticut, which includes advising and assisting local registrars of voters and town clerks.
Federal law protects against crimes such as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, 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, including being able to vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them.
For example, actions designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that it's to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law.
Federal law also protects voters' right to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person they choose.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Wines has been appointed to serve as the district election officer for the District of Connecticut. In that capacity, she is responsible for overseeing the district's handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department headquarters, in Washington.
The FBI, in Connecticut and across the country, will have special agents available to receive any allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI field office, in New Haven, can be reached directly at 203-777-6311, and the U.S. Attorney's Office can be reached at 203-821-3700.
Finally, complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can be made directly to the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division's Voting Section, in Washington, by calling 800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767, or by emailing voting.section@usdoj.gov.
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