Chinese citizen charged after allegedly voting illegally in key battleground state; vote will be counted

A Chinese citizen, who attends nan University of Michigan, was charged for allegedly voting illegally successful nan cardinal battleground authorities of Michigan – and that student's ballot will still beryllium counted.

A spokesperson for nan Michigan Secretary of State confirmed to Fox News Digital that nan Chinese national voted astatine a polling spot astatine nan University of Michigan Museum of Art connected Sunday, Oct. 27.

The state's apical authorities condemned nan 19-year-old's actions, saying that since nan man is not a U.S. citizen, he cannot ballot in national elections.

"Only U.S. citizens tin registry and ballot successful our elections. It is forbidden to dishonesty connected immoderate registration forms aliases voting applications astir one’s citizenship status. Doing truthful is simply a felony," Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit wrote successful a associated statement.

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Voters formed their ballots during Michigan's early voting play connected October 29, 2024, successful Dearborn, Michigan.  (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Despite nan truth that nan Chinese citizen's ballot was formed illegally, it is expected to beryllium counted successful nan upcoming election.

Andrew McCarthy, a Fox News contributor and a erstwhile Assistant U.S. Attorney for nan Southern District of New York, told Fox News Digital that it is expected to count because location is nary measurement for predetermination officials to retrieve it erstwhile it's been put done a tabulator.

"The point is, because of nan imperative of elector secrecy, nan ballot does not person an identifying PIN number aliases different benignant of identifying accusation that would alteration personification afterward to fig retired who voted for whom," he said. "That's our dedication to the concealed ballot."

"But what it intends is if nan personification passes nan recognition and qualification facet of nan early voting and gets to capable retired nan ballot, nan ballot past goes into a tabulator, and it gets counted because there's nary measurement to spell backmost and retrieve it and say, 'this is nan ballot that shouldn't person been voted.' And that's nan problem here."

Andrew McCarthy, a Fox News contributor and a erstwhile Assistant U.S. Attorney for nan Southern District of New York, discussed pinch Fox News Digital predetermination integrity. (Fox News Digital)

McCarthy said that nan dream is that location is "enough predetermination information that this will hap fewer capable times that it won't impact nan integrity of nan results."

"But nan different important thing, and I don't deliberation there's capable of this, is it's a usurpation of both authorities law and national rule for an alien to attest that he is an American national for purposes of being allowed to registry to vote," he said. "And past federally, astatine least, it's a crime for a non-American to vote, astatine slightest if it's done knowingly."

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"You've sewage to bring these cases because group person to beryllium alert that there's a value to beryllium paid if you ballot illegally," he said. "And if you don't bring those cases, past you're not really being superior astir predetermination integrity."

Applications to ballot are disposable connected a check-in array astatine a polling location wherever voters formed their ballots during Michigan's early voting play connected October 29, 2024, successful Dearborn, Michigan. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

The Chinese citizen, whose personality was not released, was charged pinch perjury aft making a mendacious connection for nan intent of securing a elector registration and pinch being an unauthorized elector who attempted to vote.

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According to Michigan law, nan unauthorized elector complaint is simply a felony that is punishable by up to 4 years pinch a good of up to $2,000.

Democrat Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said successful a statement that her agency has launched an "independent, parallel investigation" into nan situation.

A Chinese national was charged for allegedly voting illegally successful Michigan.  (iStock)

McCarthy highlighted why he believes voting in-person on Election Day is champion – and nan astir unafraid option.

"I deliberation nan safest measurement to ballot and, frankly, nan champion measurement to vote, is connected Election Day because it intends that we're each voting pinch nan aforesaid information," he said. "When you person group voting six weeks earlier nan election, we're not moreover voting pinch nan aforesaid accusation because a batch of important things hap successful nan run-up to nan election."

"But much importantly, for nan purposes that we're talking about, location was ever a presumption successful nan rule that said, for information purposes, we for illustration that you travel into nan precinct connected Election Day and vote. That's really we tin unafraid it nan best," he said. "What I deliberation is unspeakable is we've not only gotten distant from nan thought that everybody should ballot astatine nan polls, but we're now taking nan adjacent step. If you ballot remotely, and you make an error, that, you know, progressive Democrats determine it's trivial, moreover though it involves a process that's successful spot precisely to protect nan integrity of elections, we should forgive that, aliases it should beryllium nan government's responsibility that you made nan mistake."

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"And I deliberation that nan position group ought to beryllium taking, because this was ever nan position that was successful our law, is travel successful and ballot connected Election Day. But if you don't want to ballot connected Election Day and you want to return advantage of these different intends of voting, fine. But each jot and tittle of nan rules is for you to comply with."

Fox News Digital has reached retired to nan University of Michigan, nan Michigan Attorney General's agency and nan Department of Justice for comment.