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Philadelphia DA Says Election Fraud Investigators Out In Force

By Cherri Gregg

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office announced the formation of a new task force to prosecute Election Day complaints.

District Attorney Seth Williams says the Election Fraud Task Force will be part of the special investigations unit and will include assistant DAs and detectives who will focus in on Election Day allegations.

"It helps guarantee that my office will not only thoroughly investigate Election Day complaints-- but we will arrest and prosecute the culprits," he says.

On Monday the task force charged 64-year-old Oxana Turetsky with Tampering with Voting Machines at a poll on Summerdale Avenue in May. Prosecutors say Turetsky, who was a write-in candidate for committeeman, wrote her name in ink on a machine.

"Tampering with the machines -- it's a fraud, it not permitted," says Williams.

For years, voters have complained of Election Day shenanigans and Williams says many assumed that this is just how Philadelphia operates on Election Day in some areas.

The new Task Force is another tool to tackle these issues. He says 70 DAs will be on hand today to handle any complaints.

"If people try to threaten you, try to intimidate you, try to stop you from voting," says Williams, "if people try to go into the voting booth with you, or people offer you money to vote for somebody specific-- you can call us and we will send out an investigator."

You can contact the District Attorney's office at 215-686-8000.

In addition, if you discover voting issues, need help finding your polling location, etc. you can contact the vote protection hotline at 1-855-SEVENTY.

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