Federal Prosecutors: 18 More North Carolinians Charged With Illegal Voting

Federal prosecutors indicted 18 people on Thursday for allegedly casting ballots in North Carolina's 2024 election. The Justice Department identified the group as including one individual who was in the country without legal status. Officials split the charges across three regions, citing nine defendants in the Eastern District, five in the Middle District, and four in the Western District.

These new filings add to a group of 12 people charged earlier in 2026 in the Eastern District. With the latest announcement, the total number of North Carolinians indicted for alleged illegal voting in 2026 reaches 30. The prosecutions are being handled by U.S. attorneys' offices in all three federal districts within the state.

Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter addressed the new charges in a written statement. He stated, "Illegal voting is just that: illegal," and added, "If you're not an American citizen, you cannot vote in our federal elections." McCotter described the moves as part of a wider effort to preserve the integrity of elections and confirm that only eligible voters participate.

The Department of Justice outlined the potential penalties for these offenses. A person who falsely claims U.S. citizenship to register or vote faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Those who vote while a noncitizen face a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a fine of $100,000. Federal judges will determine specific sentences by applying sentencing guidelines and other relevant factors.

Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Charlotte Field Office, emphasized the agency's commitment to the process. Davis said, "The integrity of federal elections is essential to the health of our democracy." He noted that every FBI field office employs dedicated election crimes coordinators to review records and confirm facts when voter eligibility questions arise. Davis added that the FBI will act decisively when the democratic process is threatened.

The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations are currently investigating the cases. The U.S. attorneys' offices for the Eastern, Middle, and Western districts of North Carolina are managing the prosecutions for all 30 individuals indicted this year.