Non-U.S. citizen charged with illegally registering to vote, casting ballot in Michigan general election
(CBS DETROIT) - Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit is charging a non-U.S. citizen with illegally registering to vote and casting a ballot in the 2024 general election.
Prosecutors allege that a non-U.S. citizen registered to vote and cast a ballot at an early voting site on Sunday, Oct. 27.
Ann Arbor City Administrator Milton Dohoney Jr. confirms that the individual was a University of Michigan student from China. Dohoney says the student voted at an on-campus voting site.
The person has been charged with unauthorized elector attempting to vote, which is punishable by up to four years in prison and/or a $2,000, and making a false affidavit for the purpose of securing voter registration, which is punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a $1,000 fine.
Savit and Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson issued the following joint statement:
"Only U.S. citizens can register and vote in our elections. It is illegal to lie on any registration forms or voting applications about one's citizenship status. Doing so is a felony.
"We are grateful for the swift action of the clerk in this case, who took the appropriate steps and referred the case to law enforcement. We are also grateful to law enforcement for swiftly and thoroughly investigating this case. Anyone who attempts to vote illegally faces significant consequences, including but not limited to arrest and prosecution.
"Noncitizen voting is an extremely isolated and rare event. Investigations in multiple states and nationwide have found no evidence of large numbers of noncitizens registering to vote. Even less common is a noncitizen actually casting a ballot. When it does happen, we take it extremely seriously. Our elections are secure and Michigan's state and local election officials carefully follow the law.
"Our duty to the law is paramount, as is our responsibility to ensure that every eligible voter is able to register and cast a ballot.
"Let this be clear: Voting records are public – any noncitizen who attempts to vote fraudulently in Michigan will be exposing themselves to great risk and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
No other details have been released. An independent investigation has been launched by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
"My office is aware of the Ann Arbor voter fraud allegation and subsequent charges," Nessel said in a statement. "It is the responsibility of each and every resident of this state and nation to adhere to the law, and Michigan election law makes clear that non-citizens cannot vote in our elections. We take all allegations of voter fraud extremely seriously, and the public should expect nothing less.
As with previous election-law related cases, the Department of Attorney General has commenced an independent, parallel investigation into this matter."
Studies and investigations have found very few instances of noncitizens voting in federal elections in modern history. Analysis by the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice found 30 cases of suspected noncitizens voting reported by election officials out of 23.5 million votes cast in the 42 jurisdictions reviewed.