The College Fix

Experts blame same-day voter registration laws, raise concerns about more fraudulent voting

A Chinese student at the University of Michigan was recently arraigned after being charged with illegally voting in the presidential election. One voting expert and a UM Board of Regents member told The College Fix that same-day voter registration laws are to blame.

Haoxiang Gao, 19, was brought before a Washtenaw County District Court judge for his arraignment this month, according to The Detroit News.

Gao faces one charge for felony perjury in illegally securing a voter registration as a noncitizen, and an additional charge for unlawfully voting.

Gao did not plead guilty or not guilty when asked at his arraignment but instead remained “mute” during the proceedings, according to court records, the Detroit News reported. Magistrate Elisha Fink set bond for Gao at $5,000. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Nov. 21.

The student’s illegal vote counted because it was impossible for election officials to retrieve and identify his ballot once it was put through an electronic tabulator, The Fix previously reported.

He cast his illegal ballot at an election office led by Democratic donors on campus after signing an affidavit under penalty of perjury, falsely claiming U.S. citizenship.

University of Michigan’s Board of Regents member Sarah Hubbard told The Fix in a phone interview she is concerned that same-day voter registration laws create a loophole for illegal voters to exploit.

In this case, “the flaw in the system…is that the ballot was not held to the side until citizenship was verified,” Hubbard said.

“Instead, the person signed an affidavit and then was allowed to vote, and the vote was immediately counted,” she said.

The Board of Regents member is “very concerned that others will try to do the same kind of thing now that they know, based on the coverage of this incident…it’s pretty easy to indicate you’re a citizen while fraudulently signing an affidavit.”

“There does not appear to be any process in place to audit those affidavits,” she said.

MORE: Professors claim it’s racist to ask voters to renew registration

However, she hopes that Gao’s prosecution will deter further voter fraud, even if the law doesn’t change.

“Full prosecution of the person who did vote fraudulently may provide a deterrent to others that may think that committing a felony by fraudulently voting is a good idea,” Hubbard said.

“The local law enforcement is pursuing whatever remedy and accountability will be necessary related to this incident,” she told The Fix.

She also said that the university told students before the election that they needed to be citizens and residents of the state of Michigan in order to vote. But there is “plenty of opportunity for improvement” in how the university and state handles the next election.

“I hope that both the state of Michigan and the university will move forward and continue to try and ensure that the people who are eligible to vote, are the ones actually voting,” she said.

Hubbard also said that employers must verify citizenship before they hire somebody, “so we know that it’s possible.”

Similarly, election law expert Hans von Spakovsky told The College Fix via email that Michigan laws do not adequately prevent voter fraud.

“The problem with same day registration is that it gives election officials no time and no ability to verify any of the information provided by a registrant,” von Spakovsky stated.

“Michigan needs to implement major reforms such as a government-issued photo ID cards for voting; no same day voter registration,” he stated.

The state also needs to do “a much better job of maintaining the accuracy of its voter registration roll,” he stated.

When asked whether he believes this is an isolated incident, von Spakovsky stated, “there is plenty of evidence that aliens are easily registering to vote without detection by election officials.”

The Fix also reached out to the University of Michigan media relations, Gao’s attorney, Orlando Simon, and Gao for comment on this story via multiple emails. None responded.

MORE: Penn State wants pro-DEI students for taxpayer-funded voter registration job

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