Election Fraud Crackdown in Middle Tennessee

On the eve of the 2016 general election, federal prosecutors in the Middle District of Tennessee are locking and loading for a high-stakes battle against election fraud and voter intimidation. U.S. Attorney David Rivera has deployed Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry Leventis and Steve Jordan as District Election Officers, placing them on the front lines to respond to any criminal interference with the democratic process.

Leventis and Jordan will be on active duty throughout Election Day, monitoring complaints and coordinating with Justice Department headquarters in Washington. Their mission: to ensure every vote cast in Middle Tennessee is free from coercion, fraud, or suppression. With polls opening in less than 48 hours, federal authorities are on a war footing, ready to move swiftly against anyone attempting to undermine the ballot.

“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud,” Rivera declared. “The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.” That’s not just rhetoric—it’s a warning to would-be offenders.

Federal law targets a broad range of election crimes: voter intimidation, ballot box stuffing, vote buying, impersonation at the polls, tampering with vote tallies, and coercing voters under false pretenses. Even photographing or questioning voters at polling places under the guise of investigating fraud can cross the line into illegal harassment. Voters have the right to mark their ballots in private—or choose their own helper. Violating those rights is a federal offense.

To arm the public with rapid-response tools, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has released a direct hotline—615-289-8574—for reporting suspicious activity. The FBI’s Nashville field office is also standing by at 615-232-7500. Every tip will be vetted, and every credible allegation will be pursued. Complaints can also be filed with the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., via phone, email, or online form.

Rivera issued a final call to action: “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to my office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.” In the shadow of Election Day, the message is clear—democracy has enforcers, and they’re watching.

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