The Department of Justice announced on Nov. 2 that it had charged 63 people across 15 states with election-related crimes, including illegal voting, fraudulent voter registration, and false claims of U.S. citizenship. The charges were filed one day before the midterm elections, marking the latest enforcement action in a broader crackdown on alleged voter fraud.
The defendants are accused of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register to vote and filing fraudulent voter registration applications in multiple states. Four of the individuals charged were identified as illegal immigrants, according to a DOJ statement. The department did not immediately clarify the citizenship status of the remaining defendants, leaving open the possibility that some may have been lawful residents ineligible to vote.
Attorney General Todd Blanche described the charges as the largest surge of voter-fraud arrests since President Trump’s return to office last year. Since Trump’s second term began, 239 individuals have been charged with voting-related offenses, with 195 aliens across 25 states charged over the past nine weeks alone.
The indictments span Arkansas, California, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin. Among those charged is Elizabeth Margaret Crudup, a 52-year-old Kenyan national and lawful permanent resident, who is accused of falsely claiming citizenship and illegally voting in nine general elections between 2008 and 2024.
The DOJ stated that the defendants allegedly exploited public trust and violated election laws, emphasizing its commitment to prosecuting voter fraud to restore confidence in the electoral system. The department did not provide further details on the timing or method of the alleged crimes beyond the charges filed.
This is a developing story and will be updated as additional information becomes available.