College student from China charged in Michigan illegal ballot case

LANSING, Mich. -- A student from China at the University of Michigan faces criminal charges for casting an illegal ballot during early voting, a rare case of a non-U.S. citizen voting.

The student faces charges of perjury and attempting to vote as an unauthorized elector, which is a felony, according to a joint statement by Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit.

The latter charge carries a maximum penalty of up to four years in prison and a $2,000 fine.

“Anyone who attempts to vote illegally faces significant consequences, including but not limited to arrest and prosecution,” the statement said.

The specter of noncitizens voting in large numbers has been a central part of Republican political messaging this year, as they seek to sow doubts about the election in case former President Donald Trump loses. Data, even from Republican-controlled states, shows how noncitizen voting is rare and nowhere near a large-scale problem.

Only citizens can vote in federal elections and every voter must attest to U.S. citizenship when they register. Election offices have detailed process in place that help them catch any noncitizens who attempt to cast a ballot.

“When it does happen, we take it extremely seriously,” Benson and Savit said in their statement, issued Wednesday. “Our elections are secure and Michigan’s state and local election officials carefully follow the law.”

There are over 7 million active registered voters in Michigan, according to the Michigan Secretary of State’s office and over 2 million ballots have already been cast in Tuesday's election through absentee and early voting as of Thursday morning.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement that she has launched an "independent, parallel investigation.”

The student is a 19-year-old from China who is legally in the U.S. but not a citizen, according to Angela Benander, a Department of State spokesperson. He registered to vote on Sunday by using his University of Michigan student identification and documents establishing residency in Ann Arbor, according to Benander.

The student signed a document identifying himself as a U.S. citizen and later contacted the local clerk's office requesting to get the ballot back, Benander said.

"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,” Benson and Savit said in the statement.

The story was first reported by the Detroit News.

Authorities have not named the student. It was not immediately clear if the student was arrested or was still being held Thursday.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry provided a written statement to The Associated Press on Thursday saying the Chinese government asked citizens abroad to abide by local laws and regulations and to avoid engaging in illegal activities “in any form.”

“In the meantime, we urge the U.S. to fairly investigate and properly handle the case in accordance with law and earnestly safeguard the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of the Chinese national involved,” the statement said.

U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, a Republican from Michigan, called for the university to expel the student. Moolenaar also chairs the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.

Request for comment to the University of Michigan were not immediately returned.

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Associated Press writer Didi Tang in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.