Rachael Rollins launching hotline to protect voter rights on Election Day

Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins is launching an Election Day hotline that serves to protect voter rights and address concerns, questions and potential criminal offenses, her office announced.

“In Suffolk County, we do not tolerate acts of violence or intimidation — on Election Day or any day. I want to assure the people of Suffolk County that their vote matters, and that we will protect the rights of every voter,” Rollins said in a statement.

The Suffolk Voter Hotline, which can be reached at 617-619-HELP, will be staffed by trained civilian investigators from the DA’s office.

Staff will answer questions on voting rights, election access and will gather information about potential criminal offenses which can be escalated to an on-call assistant district attorney.

“The right to vote without interference is central to the health and future of our democracy. No matter who you are voting for, it’s important that you have the right to vote freely and safely and that your vote is counted,” Rollins said.

Voter intimidation can include efforts by private citizens, organized groups or others to verbally harass or physically confront voters. Violators can face potential charges under federal and state voter intimidation statutes,

Help will be available in multiple languages, including Spanish, Arabic, Cape Verdean Creole, Mandarin, Hindi, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Portuguese and Vietnamese, according to the DA’s office.

The hotline will be staffed on Tuesday from 6:30 a.m., a half-hour before the polls open, to 9 p.m., an hour after the polls close.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/327dAbO