A Chinese student, legally residing in the United States, is set to face criminal charges for allegedly voting illegally in the election.
The controversial vote is said to remain in the final tally because it can’t be voided by election officials.
The 19-year-old reportedly cast his ballot on Sunday in Ann Arbor, as per an announcement from Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office and the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office.
The student, whose identity remains undisclosed, apparently used his University of Michigan ID to vote. Officials were alerted to the incident when reached out to the local clerk’s office, reportedly asking if he could retrieve his ballot after the fact.
Sources informed the Detroit News that Michigan’s voting system doesn’t link a ballot to the individual voter, making it impossible for officials to invalidate the vote as per Michigan election regulations.
“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,” a statement from Benson’s office and the county prosecutor said.
“Anyone who attempts to vote illegally faces significant consequences, including but not limited to arrest and prosecution.”
A separate statement from the Secretary of State and Washtenaw County Prosecutor pointed out that instances of noncitizens voting are “extremely rare and isolated,” noted that Michigan’s voting data is available to the 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,” stated the official release.
Michigan voters approved a measure allowing votes to be submitted until Election Day in 2018. It also permitted proof of residency to be verified through a driver’s license, utility bill, state ID card, or university documents.
