SPOKANE, Wash. – With the election just around the corner on November 5, election security is a high priority for the US Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frieda Zimmerman is in charge of prosecuting all election interference cases in eastern Washington.
“The Department of Justice is always ensuring that we do not have issues with any type of voter intimidation or voter suppression, as well as threats to election workers,” Zimmerman said.
Zimmerman emphasized the importance of maintaining election integrity.
“Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of our democracy, and to the event, in the event that anyone tries to interfere. The Department of Justice wants to ensure that those concerns are addressed and that people are brought to justice,” Zimmerman said.
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs has previously noted his office’s efforts to monitor potential threats to county election offices, referencing a scare that occurred during the 2023 election when envelopes containing fentanyl were sent to various county election offices.
“When we had the white powder incident…we were able to react quickly, so quickly that the USPS was able to intercept some of these envelopes,” Hobbs said.
According to the Brennan Center for Justice, 92% of local election officials have since taken measures to enhance security since 2020, an ongoing trend echoed by local offices.
For Washington voters, ballots have already been distributed by mail and can be dropped off at a ballot box until 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. For assistance with ballot locations or voter registration, individuals can visit their county elections office or VoteWA.Gov.
