PORTLAND, Ore.— United States Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Austin Rice-Stitt will lead local efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 3, 2020 general election. AUSA Rice-Stitt has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for Oregon and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights concerns in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. United States Attorney Williams said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud. The Department of Justice will always act appropriately to protect the integrity of the election process.” 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’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also 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 through election day.