2 charged with illegal voting in federal elections in West Tennessee

HAYWOOD COUNTY, Tenn. (WBBJ) - Two foreign nationals are facing federal charges for allegedly voting illegally in recent elections across West Tennessee, federal prosecutors announced.

An indictment alleges Cesar Sanchez Correa, 44, a citizen of Mexico, voted in Haywood County during the 2024 election. Investigators said Sanchez Correa falsely and willfully claimed to be a U.S. citizen on a Tennessee voter registration application. He faces one count of unlawful voting.

In a separate indictment, Andreas Van Der Werf, 62, a citizen of Germany, is accused of voting in Fayette County in both the 2022 and 2024 elections. Officials allege Van Der Werf also falsely and willfully registered as a U.S. citizen to cast ballots. He is charged with two counts of unlawful voting.

Federal law restricts voting in elections featuring candidates for president, vice president, the U.S. Senate, or the U.S. House of Representatives strictly to U.S. citizens.

“The law is clear: Only American citizens may vote in American elections,” said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant. “Every American citizen must be able to have their vote counted without it being stolen because of fraudulent or ineligible voters. Illegal voting is a crime and will be aggressively prosecuted by the Department of Justice to protect the integrity of the election process.”

“Protecting the integrity of our elections is a responsibility HSI takes seriously,” said Dennis M. Fetting, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville. “With our partners, we will continue to investigate alleged violations of federal election laws and support efforts to uphold the foundations of our democracy.”