Justice Department Charges 16 in Election Cases, Most Accused of Voting as Noncitizens

October 13, 2026

The Justice Department announced charges against 16 individuals for election crimes including illegal voting by noncitizens, fraudulent voter registration, voting on behalf of the deceased, voting multiple times, and unlawful procurement of citizenship. Cases span 11 federal districts and involve conduct in the 2022 and 2024 elections. Fourteen defendants are accused of voting while not U.S. citizens (one of them, now a naturalized citizen, is accused of registering before she became one); the other two, Patrick Perea and Forrest Scott Woody, are charged with fraudulent voting and voting twice, and the release does not describe either as a noncitizen.

Sources

• Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, “Justice Department Announces Charges Involving 16 Individuals for Election Crimes” (Oct. 12, 2026): https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-charges-involving-16-individuals-election-crimes