Federal agents will handle local voting complaints in the Nov. 3 election.

US Attorney Peter McCoy has appointed assistant US Attorneys John Potterfield and Robert Sneed to work with the Federal Bureau of Investigaton on any voting complaints.       

“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted without it being stolen because of fraud,” McCoy said

"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."

Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes.

It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. 

Actions designed to interrupt or intimidate voters by questioning or challenging them, photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. 

Federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.

The local FBI field office can be reached at 803-551-4200.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov.

In case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately.

State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places and almost always have faster reaction times.