Chinese Student Charged for Illegal Voting, Ballot Likely Irretrievable for Alarming Reason

A Chinese national, suspected of illegal voting, now faces criminal charges. Despite this, their ballot is likely to be counted.

In Michigan, authorities discovered that a University of Michigan student voted on Sunday, even though they are not a U.S. citizen.

Under U.S. law, only American citizens have the right to vote in federal elections. However, in some states, verifying this involves just "checking a box" or "signing a statement" rather than providing evidence of citizenship, which makes it rare to catch noncitizens in the act.

The case concerns a 19-year-old Chinese student whose identity is confidential. According to the office of Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, the student presented identification and residency proof, signed a document affirming U.S. citizenship, and then cast their vote. Yet, the student initiated their own investigation by contacting the local clerk's office to ask if they could retrieve their ballot.

“We’re grateful for the swift action of the clerk in this case, who took the appropriate steps and referred the case to law enforcement,” said a joint statement from Benson’s office and Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit.

The student now faces two felony charges: perjury for making a false statement on the voter registration form and voting as an unauthorized elector.

Ann Arbor City Administrator Milton Dohoney Jr. informed city council members via email that the student holds a green card. “Through a series of actions, the student was apparently able to register, receive a ballot and cast a vote,” Dohoney explained. “Based upon the scenario we’re hearing, the student was fully aware of what he was doing and that it was not legal.”

CNN reported that sources indicate investigators are probing whether this incident is connected to broader efforts by China to influence the election or if it was a standalone event.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced her office has started an "independent, parallel investigation" in addition to the criminal case.

Washtenaw County Clerk Lawrence Kestenbaum explained that due to the in-person voting process, whoever the student voted for will still receive those votes. He stated, “There’s a box of ballots underneath the tabulator and all of the ballots — they all look the same. … There’s no way to go back and undo it.”