Chinese Student Falsely Claims U.S. Citizenship to Vote, Facing Up to 15 Years in Prison

Illustrative image: The early voting site at the "Boy Scouts Club" on 41st Road in Flushing, New York City. (Li Linzhao / Dajiyuan)

People News Report — In the U.S. election, Michigan is one of the key swing states. A 19-year-old Chinese student at the University of Michigan voted without eligibility to vote, and authorities have charged him with two counts: false representation and unauthorized voting. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison.

According to Radio Free Asia, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office issued a statement indicating that the Chinese student is not a U.S. citizen. Although he is legally residing in the U.S., he is not eligible to vote. On Sunday (27th), using his student ID and other residency documents, he registered as a voter on the spot in Ann Arbor, where the University of Michigan is located, and signed a statement claiming he was a U.S. citizen, completing early voting.

The Illegal Vote Will Be Counted in the Final Tally

Afterward, he contacted the local election office to inquire whether he could retrieve his ballot. Staff immediately contacted law enforcement, and after investigation, he was detained. Sources familiar with Michigan election regulations pointed out that, despite being an illegal vote, this vote will still be counted in the final tally because once ballots are entered, even election officials cannot retrieve them to prevent tracking voters' identities through ballots.

Authorities stated that the incident is extremely rare and will be treated very seriously. In a joint statement, Benson and the local attorney general thanked law enforcement for acting swiftly to investigate, emphasizing that any non-citizen attempting to vote illegally will face severe consequences. In Michigan, making a false statement can result in up to 15 years in prison, while unauthorized voting carries a maximum sentence of 4 years in prison and a $2,000 fine.

U.S. House Representative John Moolenaar, chairman of the Congressional Select Committee on the CCP from Michigan, believes the University of Michigan should expel the Chinese student. He also urged the state government to prevent similar election fraud and ensure that next week’s election is free from CCP interference.