Justice Department charges 63 individuals in voting fraud cases ahead of midterms
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The U.S. Department of Justice announced 63 voter-fraud charges in 15 states, including a Samoan national accused of voting illegally in Utah, as the 2024 midterm elections approach.
The Justice Department disclosed on Monday that it has charged 63 people in 15 states with illegally voting or registering to vote, a move announced less than 24 hours before polls open for the 2024 midterm elections. Among the defendants is a Samoan national alleged to have cast a ballot in Utah's presidential election; the individual was arrested in Alaska, denied the allegations in court, and faces a class A misdemeanor that carries up to one year in prison and a fine of $100,000.
Attorney General Todd Blanche said the announcement represented “the largest surge of voter-fraud arrests since President Trump returned to office.” He added, “These foreign nationals allegedly took advantage of the trust of the American people and flouted the laws that govern our nation’s elections. This Department of Justice will continue investigating and prosecuting voter fraud to restore confidence in our electoral system.”
The department also reported that, over the past nine weeks, it has charged 195 people in 25 states with voting or registering illegally. Cases include a North Carolina woman who allegedly voted in nine consecutive general and primary elections. Some defendants reportedly acted after receiving registration information or believing they were eligible because of language barriers.
An audit of Utah's voter database earlier this year found that 99.72% of registered voters were verifiable U.S. citizens, removing 27 alleged non-citizens from the rolls and giving 25 others a 30-day window to prove citizenship. Approximately 13 of those individuals were said to have cast ballots.
The announcement comes as the Trump administration continues legal challenges against election officials in Utah and other states over voter-roll disclosures, and as it pursues cases related to mail-in ballot handling. A federal grand jury recently indicted a Utah postal worker for allegedly discarding hundreds of mail ballots, with Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter stating the case demonstrates that “voting fraud is real.”
State auditors and a Utah Valley University study have repeatedly concluded that Utah's elections are highly secure and have not observed significant fraud.