LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — The Michigan Department of State has released the results of a review that found 15 potential noncitizens who cast a ballot in the 2024 general election. More than 5.7 million ballots total were cast.
“This is a serious issue, one we must address with a scalpel, not a sledgehammer,” Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson says. “Only U.S. citizens can legally register and vote in our elections. Our careful review confirms what we already knew – that this illegal activity is very rare.
Of these 15, 13 were referred to the Michigan Attorney General for potential criminal charges. Of the two remaining, one of them has died in the months since the election and the other case is still being investigated.
The Department of State says these cases, in addition to the October 2024 case of a Chinese national who is accused of voting illegally, make up around 0.00028% of the votes cast in Michigan regarding the 2024 presidential election.
“While we take all violations of election law very seriously, this tiny fraction of potential cases in Michigan and at the national level do not justify recent efforts to pass laws we know would block tens of thousands of Michigan citizens from voting in future elections,” says Benson.
The review compared more than 7.9 million active driving records for Michiganders of voting age to more than 7.2 million active registered voters.
Benson says she is working with state lawmakers to codify this review process into state law, making it a regular occurrence.
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