Two New Jersey Noncitizens Charged With Allegedly Voting in Federal Elections

What prosecutors allege

According to prosecutors, each defendant falsely certified U.S. citizenship when registering. Reid allegedly voted in person in the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections and by mail in 2020 and 2024. Bernat allegedly voted in person in the 2024 general election.

The government further alleges that both later denied registration or voting history on naturalization applications. Those are the prosecution’s allegations, not findings reached after a trial.

What the underlying complaint adds

Bernat’s complaint alleges that she registered through New Jersey’s online portal on August 9, 2024, and voted on October 31 during the 2024 election. It specifically accuses her of answering no to the voting-history question on a September 6, 2025, Form N-400 application.

That question covers federal, state and local elections—not only federal elections. The complaint describes her as a lawful permanent resident who initially entered on a tourist visa. DOJ’s September 28 national announcement also identifies Reid as a lawful permanent resident. The allegation here concerns voting eligibility, not a claim that both were unlawfully present.

Potential penalties are not sentences

The U.S. Attorney’s Office lists maximum penalties of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine for the noncitizen-voting counts, and 10 years and a $250,000 fine for the naturalization-related false-statement counts. These statutory ceilings do not predict any sentence.

FaithfulHeartbeat did not locate a public response from either defendant or their attorneys in the sources reviewed. A complaint presents the government’s case; it is not a substitute for a defense response or a verdict.

FaithfulHeartbeat perspective: enforce the law, respect due process

From a Christian conservative perspective, citizenship requirements should be enforced faithfully. Eligible voters deserve confidence that the rules mean what they say, and officials should investigate credible evidence of violations regardless of political convenience.

The same commitment to justice requires accuracy about the accused. These two cases do not, by themselves, establish widespread election fraud, a coordinated operation or a changed election outcome. Lawful immigrants should not be treated as guilty because of allegations against someone else.

Election integrity and due process are not competing values. Protecting both means examining evidence, demanding accountability where guilt is established, and refusing to turn an accusation into a verdict before the courts have done their work.