Canadian National Charged with Illegal Voting in U.S. Elections
Federal authorities in North Carolina have charged a Canadian citizen with illegally voting in multiple U.S. elections, raising concerns about noncitizen participation in the electoral process. Denis Bouchard, a 69-year-old who has lived in the U.S. since the 1960s, faces allegations of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register and vote in the 2022 midterm elections and the 2024 presidential election, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The DOJ alleges that Bouchard, who never obtained U.S. citizenship, may have also voted in local elections in New Hanover and Pender Counties for nearly two decades. “Every single time a noncitizen casts an illegal vote in North Carolina, it steals and nullifies the vote of an actual citizen,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle in a public statement. “If the records are correct, this Canadian citizen appears to have voted in New Hanover and Pender County elections over the past 20 years.”
A federal grand jury indicted Bouchard on Tuesday, charging him with illegal voter registration and voting in the 2022 and 2024 elections. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison for each count. The DOJ, in collaboration with the North Carolina Board of Elections, continues to investigate the case. “We intend to prove his illegal conduct in court and put an end to it,” Boyle added.
This case is part of an effort by the Trump administration to address noncitizen voting, which is a federal crime. In recent months, federal prosecutors have charged several foreign nationals for similar offenses, including two Ukrainians in April for voting in the 2024 election, an Iraqi man for illegally voting in 2020, and a Colombian national accused of voting in 2024 while using a stolen identity to access nearly $400,000 in government benefits.
In Michigan, a Chinese student was charged in October for voting in the 2024 election after reportedly contacting local officials to retrieve his ballot. The individual left the country shortly before President Donald Trump’s return to office.
To strengthen election integrity, the Trump administration has enhanced tools for identifying noncitizens on voter rolls. In March, an executive order directed the Department of Homeland Security to provide states with free access to the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database, managed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The SAVE system allows state and local officials to verify immigration and citizenship status. Since July, USCIS Director Joe Edlow has prioritized resources to assist states in maintaining accurate voter rolls.
In May, the administration further improved SAVE by integrating data from the Social Security Administration, enabling officials to verify citizenship using Social Security numbers. State officials have noted that access to this database has significantly improved their ability to prevent noncitizen voting.
North Carolina, a politically competitive state with both parties holding statewide offices, is preparing for a closely watched 2026 Senate race to replace retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, which analysts at the Cook Political Report describe as a toss-up.
