Federal prosecutors have indicted a Canadian citizen living in North Carolina on charges of voting illegally in U.S. elections, including the 2022 midterms and the 2024 presidential race.
Denis Bouchard, 69, has lived in the United States since the 1960s but never obtained American citizenship. Prosecutors say he falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen on voter registration applications and cast ballots in at least two federal elections.
Suspected of Voting for Two Decades
Authorities believe Bouchard’s illegal voting may go back much further. U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle said records suggest he participated in local elections in New Hanover and Pender counties for nearly 20 years.
“Every single time a noncitizen casts an illegal vote in North Carolina, it steals and nullifies the vote of an actual citizen,” Boyle said. “We intend to prove his illegal conduct in court and put an end to it.”
Bouchard was indicted Tuesday on charges of illegal voter registration and illegal voting. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison per count.
Ongoing Crackdown on Foreign Voting
The indictment is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to prosecute foreign nationals accused of voting unlawfully.
In April, prosecutors charged two Ukrainian nationals with voting in the 2024 election.
That same month, an Iraqi man was charged with voting in the 2020 presidential race.
In May, a Colombian immigrant was accused of decades-long voter fraud and stealing roughly $400,000 in federal benefits.
Michigan officials also charged a Chinese student with casting a ballot in 2024 before he fled the country.
Federal Resources Expanded
Since taking office in July, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joe Edlow has expanded efforts to help states identify and remove noncitizens from voter rolls.
President Trump signed an executive order in March directing the Department of Homeland Security to provide the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database to states free of charge. SAVE allows officials to check immigration or citizenship status against federal records.
In May, the administration expanded the system by partnering with the Social Security Administration, allowing state and local election officials to verify citizenship status using Social Security numbers. Officials say the move has significantly improved voter roll integrity checks.
Key Battleground State
The case comes as North Carolina prepares for a high-stakes Senate race in 2026 to replace retiring Sen. Thom Tillis. The Cook Political Report has already rated the race a toss-up, underscoring the state’s competitive political landscape.
If people don’t think this is common on both sides of the border, think again. most do it out of ignorance, not malice.