Canadian Citizen Indicted for Illegal Voting in Nine North Carolina Elections

Federal prosecutors have charged Denis Bouchard, a 69-year-old Canadian citizen living in North Carolina since the 1960s, with illegally registering and voting in multiple federal elections, including the 2022 congressional and 2024 presidential elections. Despite never obtaining U.S. citizenship, Bouchard falsely certified his citizenship status on voter registration applications and allegedly voted in New Hanover and Pender County elections for nearly two decades. U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle emphasized that noncitizen voting undermines the electoral process by nullifying the votes of lawful citizens and vowed to prove Bouchard's illegal conduct in court. The case originated from a North Carolina State Board of Elections investigation and is being pursued with assistance from the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. State elections officials highlighted the importance of enforcing election laws to maintain public confidence in the democratic process. Bouchard faces multiple federal charges and could face up to five years in prison if convicted.