19-year old Chinese student votes in U.S elections in Michigan, arrested for felony but vote will be counted

In a notable incident just days before the 2024 U.S. elections, a 19-year-old Chinese student at the University of Michigan has been charged for allegedly voting illegally in Michigan—a critical battleground state. Despite being a non-U.S. citizen, the student cast a vote at the University of Michigan Museum of Art on October 27, sparking widespread debate about election integrity and security.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit jointly condemned the illegal vote, stressing that only U.S. citizens have the right to vote in federal elections. Although the ballot was cast illegally, due to the anonymous nature of U.S. ballots, it will still be counted in the final tally. Legal experts, including Andrew McCarthy, explain that election officials cannot identify or retrieve a specific ballot once it has gone through the voting tabulator, maintaining the U.S. tradition of a "secret ballot."

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The student now faces felony charges under Michigan law, including perjury and attempting to vote as an unauthorized elector. These charges could lead to a four-year prison sentence and a $2,000 fine. Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel has announced an independent investigation into the case, further emphasizing the need for strict compliance with election laws.

The incident has reignited discussions on election security and voting methods, with McCarthy and other experts advocating for in-person voting on Election Day as the most secure method. They argue that in-person voting ensures all voters act with the same, up-to-date information, reinforcing public trust in the electoral process.

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FAQs:

What happened with the Chinese student’s vote in Michigan?
A 19-year-old Chinese student at the University of Michigan allegedly cast an illegal vote in Michigan, a battleground state, despite not being a U.S. citizen. Michigan authorities confirmed the student’s ballot will still be counted because it cannot be individually identified or retrieved.

Why can’t the illegal vote be removed from the count?
Due to the U.S. “secret ballot” system, votes do not carry identifying information that links them to individual voters. Once cast, they are anonymized and fed into a tabulator, making it impossible for election officials to remove a specific ballot.