Slovak Citizen Charged With Illegally Voting in NJ Election

Newark, N.J. — A North Jersey man, who is a citizen of Slovakia, has been charged with illegally voting in a federal election and then lying about it when he applied for citizenship, federal authorities say.

62-year-old Marian Charitun of Middlesex County made an initial court appearance earlier this week.

Feds: Registered, Then Voted, Without Being a Citizen

According to officials, Charitun was not a U.S. citizen when he registered to vote in New Jersey. On his voter registration form, he falsely certified that he was.

After his registration was approved, Charitun voted in the November 8th, 2022, midterm election, which included the election of a U.S. House representative.

Then Lied About It on His Citizenship Application

After illegally voting, officials said Charitun then applied for U.S. citizenship by submitting a naturalization application. This form requires the applicant to swear under penalty of perjury that all information provided is complete, true, and correct. On that application, Charitun allegedly falsely claimed he had never registered to vote or voted in any federal election.

Charges and Penalties

Charitun faces two federal charges: voting by a non-citizen in a federal election, which carries a maximum of one year in prison, and unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization, which carries a maximum of ten years.

The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Chris Coleman is a South Jersey native and has been a cornerstone of the Atlantic City radio market since 1998. He serves as Brand Manager for WPG Talk Radio 95.5 and afternoon on-air personality for Cat Country 107.3. A five-time President's Circle award winner and Townsquare Media's 2024 Content Creator of the Year, Chris covers news, events, and stories of interest across Southern New Jersey. Story tips: chris.coleman@townsquaremedia.com