Justice Department Issues Guidelines on Federal Laws Regarding Voting Methods and Post-Election Audits

On July 15, WRBL News, Columbus GA, reported the following:

Women for America First held what it called an “election integrity” town hall meeting in Columbus. It was the second such meeting in three nights. Tuesday about 100 people attended in Rome. Tonight’s event drew about 40 local Republicans. But no Columbus-area elected officials...Thursday night’s meeting of those who still question the results of the 2020 presidential race started in an unusual manner — with words from a President Biden speech two days ago. “In Arizona, Wisconsin, in Georgia was recounted three times. It’s clear.”

Commentary/Op-Ed 

Around the nation, voter chain restraint laws have been put in place in at least 30 states due to false claims that "Trump won" the 2020 election. Though the numbers are still in question as to whether or not Trump won in 2016, one thing seems to be perfectly clear about certain Republicans who can dish out a sabotaged win, but can't take the pain of an actual loss.

In response to all of the voter suppression laws being passed nationwide, in which many Republicans have verbally and conspicuously expressed that they may not ever be able to win an election if they had to compete on equal footing with other candidates, the 'GOP Fear Losing Express Train' made its way to Columbus GA--even hawked t-shirts reading "Trump Won" as they continued, more than six months later, to lament a general loss that has been recounted more times than Wells Fargo has been sued.

In light of Voter Suppression, which reeks suspiciously of the types of laws that were put in place in the 1800s to stop certain races and genders from voting, James Crowe III has raised hi head in the Valley area.

As a matter of information, historical records show that the Ku Klux Klan committed their first ever murder in the history of Georgia in Columbus. #DrGWAshford ... and pretty much for the exact same reasons - trying to register 'certain persons' to vote. 

But we will allow history to tell on itself.

Federal Regulations

In the meantime, this is what the Justice Department/Office of Public Affairs had to say about the matter at hand:

Today the U.S. Department of Justice announced the release of two guidance documents to ensure states fully comply with federal laws regarding elections, specifically federal statutes affecting methods of voting and federal constraints related to post-election “audits.”

“The right of all eligible citizens to vote is the central pillar of our democracy, and the Justice Department will use all of the authorities at its disposal to zealously guard that right,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The guidances issued today describe certain federal laws that help ensure free, fair, and secure elections. Where violations of such laws occur, the Justice Department will not hesitate to act.”

“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the right to vote for all Americans and ensuring states are complying with federal voting laws,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Whether through litigation or the issuance of official guidance, we are using every tool in our arsenal to ensure that all eligible citizens can exercise their right to vote free from intimidation, and have their ballots counted.”

The first guidance document, entitled “Guidance Concerning Federal Statutes Affecting Methods of Voting,” provides guidance regarding how eligible citizens cast their ballots. The guidance document addresses efforts by some states to permanently adopt their COVID-19 pandemic voting modifications, and by other states to bar continued use of those practices, or to impose additional restrictions on voting by mail or early voting. In addition, this guidance document discusses federal statutes the department enforces related to voting by mail, absentee voting and voting in person.

The second guidance document, entitled “Federal Law Constraints on Post-Election Audits,” provides information on the how states must comply with federal law when preserving and retaining election records and the criminal penalties associated with the willful failure to comply with those requirements. This guidance document also details the statutes that prohibit the intimidation of voters and the department’s commitment to act if any person engages in actions that violate the law.

Today’s announcements follow Attorney General Garland’s recent commitment to expand the Justice Department’s efforts to safeguard voting rights. For a list of the department’s actions to protect voting rights, click here.

More information about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws is available on the Department of Justice’s website at www.justice.gov/crt/about/vot.

Complaints about discriminatory voting practices may be reported to the Voting Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division at 1-800-253-3931.

If jurisdictions have questions about the constraints federal law places on the methods of voting they are using or propose to use, or questions about the constraints federal law places on post-election “audits” regarding protections for voters and federal election records, they should contact the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division.

For the guidance document on methods of voting, click here.

For the guidance document on post-election “audits,” click here.

###MAKE SURE YOU ARE REGISTERED***

Note: 2022 Mid-terms are coming up next year. However and whichever way you vote, it may be best to be well-prepared ahead of time for mid-terms and plug these Justice Department numbers in your cell phone beforehand.