Federal authorities unveiled charges against a Canadian man they say repeatedly voted in elections in Massachusetts and lied that he was eligible as a U.S. citizen.
Sunny Manhertz, 40, was a lawful permanent resident here, having immigrated as a child in 1987, but never attained U.S. citizenship.
Despite that, he cast ballots in more than a dozen elections at the local, state and national levels, Homeland Security Investigations said.
They found records dating to 2012 and said Mr. Manhertz admitted to voting as early as 2008. He even identified his polling place to agents, according to court documents.
“Manhertz knew that he was not a United States citizen,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts said in announcing the case Tuesday.
He faces one count of illegal voting by an alien and one count of casting a false or fraudulent ballot.
HSI agents said they came across his case as part of a broader review of voter registration records.
Mr. Manhertz’s case underscores the lack of verification for citizenship that pervades voting.
Saugus Town Clerk Ellen Joyce Schena, who also serves as chief elections officer, said they rely on applicants to be truthful about their citizenship.
“The form clearly states at your signature line that you are signing under the ‘Penalty of Perjury,’” she told The Washington Times.
HSI Agent Andrew DePatto, though, said in his court filing that it didn’t deter Mr. Manhertz.
He repeatedly signed that he was a citizen, including while at a political event earlier this year, when he signed petitions for two candidates to get on the primary ballot.
“Despite the ‘Instructions to Signers’ and ‘Signer’s Statement’ on the nomination paperwork, which required the singers to be ‘qualified voters,’ Manhertz signed both candidates’ nomination papers,” Agent DePatto wrote.
He pointed out in his affidavit that he used to be the election coordinator for Saugus before he became an HSI agent.
Ms. Schena, the town clerk, said they do ask those registering to vote to submit either a partial Social Security number or a driver’s license number. As a legal permanent resident, Mr. Manhertz could have had both of those.
The state also allows illegal immigrants to get a driver’s license.
Ms. Schena said “invalid” numbers would be flagged by the state when a voter registration form is submitted.
According to the court filings, Mr. Manhertz voted in three Democratic primaries since 2012, as well as federal, state and local elections.
Agent DePatto also checked cellular site records to verify Mr. Manhertz was near his polling location when his ballot was cast in 2024.
When agents interviewed Mr. Manhertz earlier this month, he admitted he signed a voter registration card claiming citizenship, and the two candidate nomination petitions. He also confirmed his voting record, pointing out to agents that he’d been voting since 2008.
