Federal Investigation into Illegal Voting by Canadian Citizen

Federal prosecutors are looking into the possibility that a Canadian citizen, Dennis Bouchard, has been illegally voting in local and federal elections for around two decades.

Bouchard, a 69-year-old who has been residing in the United States since the 1960s, never obtained American citizenship. However, the Department of Justice (DOJ) claims he registered as a citizen when voting in the presidential elections of 2022 and 2024, participating in both. It’s also suggested that he’s voted in local elections since the early 2000s.

“Every time a non-citizen votes illegally in North Carolina, we are undermining the votes of actual citizens,” remarked U.S. attorney Ellis Boyle. “If the records are accurate, it seems this Canadian has cast votes in New Hanover and Pender County elections for the last twenty years.”

Boyle further stated, “We’ll prove his misconduct in court and put an end to it.” The federal authorities are collaborating with the North Carolina Election Commission on the ongoing investigation.

According to the DOJ, Bouchard was indicted on Tuesday for illegally registering and voting in the 2022 and 2024 elections. If found guilty, he could face a maximum of five years in prison for each count.

North Carolina, currently a battleground state with both major parties vying for influence, is preparing for the upcoming 2026 elections. The race to succeed retiring GOP Senator Tom Tillis is expected to be particularly competitive.

This indictment forms part of a broader initiative by the Trump administration to clamp down on foreign nationals participating in U.S. elections, which is a violation of federal law.

Earlier, prosecutors accused two Ukrainians of voting illegally in the 2024 presidential election, and an Iraqi man was indicted for illegal voting in 2020. Colombian illegals residing in the U.S. under stolen identities were also found to have voted in the 2024 elections.

Determining the actual number of foreign voters in past elections is challenging. In October, officials in Michigan even sought participation from Chinese students but later faced complications, including a student leaving the country just before President Trump’s inauguration.

Since taking office in July, USCIS director Joe Edrow has been enhancing resources to help identify non-citizens within the voting system. A presidential order issued in March required states to utilize systematic alien verification databases at no cost to maintain election integrity.

This online resource, managed by USCIS, assists various government agencies in confirming the immigration status of applicants for different benefits. State officials cracking down on voter fraud believe it enhances their capabilities significantly.

Additionally, in May, the Trump administration emphasized the value of this verification system by collaborating with the Social Security Administration to ensure reliable information for monitoring citizenship status. The update allows state and local officials to check Social Security numbers to confirm U.S. citizenship and prevent non-citizens from voting.