Federal authorities in North Carolina have indicted a Canadian citizen, Denis Bouchard, for allegedly registering and voting illegally in the United States’ 2022 midterm and 2024 presidential elections, bringing to light a two-decade stretch of suspected unlawful participation in American democracy. The charges, announced on August 31, 2025, have reignited debates over election integrity and the effectiveness of systems designed to prevent noncitizens from casting ballots.
Bouchard, 69, has lived in the United States since the 1960s, settling in the Wilmington area as a child. Despite his long-term residency, prosecutors say he never obtained U.S. citizenship. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Bouchard is accused of falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen on voter registration forms and casting ballots in at least two federal elections, as well as numerous local contests in New Hanover and Pender counties dating back to the early 2000s.
The indictment charges Bouchard with four federal felonies: making false statements and violating federal election law. Each count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison if he is convicted. Prosecutors emphasized that while Bouchard’s alleged illegal voting stretches back two decades, only violations within the past five years could be charged due to the statute of limitations on federal felonies.
“Every single time a noncitizen casts an illegal vote in North Carolina, it steals and nullifies the vote of an actual citizen,” U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle said in a statement released by his office, as reported by both Daily Caller News Foundation and local media. “If the records are correct, this Canadian citizen appears to have voted in New Hanover and Pender County elections over the past 20 years. We intend to prove his illegal conduct in court and put an end to it.”
James C. Barnacle Jr., the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina, echoed these concerns, stating, “Every American deserves to exercise their right to vote without interference in the democratic process. We appreciate the North Carolina Board of Elections partnership and commitment to working together to ensure fair elections in our state.” (Daily Caller News Foundation)
The case against Bouchard comes at a time when North Carolina is considered one of the most competitive states in the nation, with both major parties holding statewide offices and the upcoming 2026 Senate race viewed as a toss-up by political observers. The integrity of the state’s elections has thus become a topic of heightened scrutiny, with officials eager to demonstrate vigilance against any potential threats to the legitimacy of the vote.
Federal prosecutors have made clear that Bouchard’s indictment is not an isolated incident but part of a broader effort to crack down on foreign nationals unlawfully participating in U.S. elections. In recent months, authorities have charged individuals from Ukraine, Iraq, Colombia, and China with similar offenses. In one instance, a Colombian national was accused not only of voting in the 2024 presidential election but also of stealing nearly $400,000 in government benefits while living in the United States under a stolen identity. Another case involved a Chinese student in Michigan who voted in the 2024 election and then fled the country.
Quantifying the exact number of noncitizens who have voted in past U.S. elections remains a challenge, as officials and watchdog groups alike acknowledge gaps in data collection and verification. However, the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security have taken steps to close these gaps. A recent executive order signed by the president in March directed the Department of Homeland Security to make the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database available free of charge to every state. This online service, administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), allows government agencies to verify the immigration status or U.S. naturalization of individuals applying for benefits or licenses—including voter registration.
Since July, under the leadership of USCIS Director Joe Edlow, resources have been streamlined to help state officials more easily identify and remove noncitizens from voter rolls. The Trump administration further enhanced SAVE’s utility by partnering with the Social Security Administration, enabling state and local officials to verify citizenship status using Social Security numbers. This collaboration, officials say, has "turbocharged" efforts to prevent foreign nationals from voting in American elections.
For many election officials and lawmakers, these measures are crucial to restoring public confidence in the electoral process, especially in battleground states like North Carolina. “We are committed to working with federal partners to ensure that only eligible citizens are able to vote in our elections,” said a spokesperson for the North Carolina Board of Elections, who confirmed ongoing cooperation with federal investigators.
The Bouchard case has also drawn attention to the complexities of long-term residency and citizenship status in the U.S. Bouchard reportedly moved to the United States as a child in the 1960s, living for decades without becoming a naturalized citizen. Prosecutors allege that he repeatedly listed himself as a citizen on voter registration forms, a claim that, if proven, would constitute a federal felony. When questioned about why earlier alleged violations were not included in the indictment, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office cited the five-year statute of limitations for federal felonies.
Election integrity advocates argue that the case highlights vulnerabilities in the voter registration system, particularly in verifying citizenship at the time of registration. Some have called for more robust checks, such as mandatory use of federal databases and stricter documentation requirements, while others caution against measures that could inadvertently disenfranchise eligible voters or create unnecessary barriers to participation.
North Carolina’s political landscape has only intensified the debate. With both Democrats and Republicans holding key offices and the state’s electoral votes often up for grabs, the pressure to ensure fair and secure elections is immense. The Cook Political Report’s assessment of the 2026 Senate race as a toss-up underscores just how closely contested the state has become—and why any perceived threat to election integrity is taken seriously by officials on all sides.
Meanwhile, Bouchard faces four counts in federal court and, if convicted, could serve up to 20 years in prison. The outcome of his case may set a precedent for how aggressively federal authorities pursue similar allegations in the future, particularly as new verification tools and interagency partnerships come online.
As the investigation continues and the legal process unfolds, the Bouchard indictment stands as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges in safeguarding American elections—and the high stakes involved for both citizens and the democratic process.
