---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 611"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "611"
heading: "Voting by aliens"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/611"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 29 — Elections and Political Activities"
---

# §611. Voting by aliens

- (a) It shall be unlawful for any [alien](/usc/18/841.md?p=r) to vote in any election held solely or in part for the purpose of electing a candidate for the office of President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Member of the Senate, Member of the House of Representatives, Delegate from the District of Columbia, or Resident Commissioner, unless—
  - (1) the election is held partly for some other purpose;
  - (2) [aliens](/usc/18/841.md?p=r) are authorized to vote for such other purpose under a [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9) constitution or statute or a local ordinance; and
  - (3) voting for such other purpose is conducted independently of voting for a candidate for such Federal offices, in such a manner that an [alien](/usc/18/841.md?p=r) has the opportunity to vote for such other purpose, but not an opportunity to vote for a candidate for any one or more of such Federal offices.
- (b) Any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) who violates this section shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
- (c) [Subsection (a)](#a) does not apply to an [alien](/usc/18/841.md?p=r) if—
  - (1) each natural parent of the [alien](/usc/18/841.md?p=r) (or, in the case of an adopted [alien](/usc/18/841.md?p=r), each adoptive parent of the [alien](/usc/18/841.md?p=r)) is or was a citizen (whether by birth or naturalization);
  - (2) the [alien](/usc/18/841.md?p=r) permanently resided in the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) prior to attaining the age of 16; and
  - (3) the [alien](/usc/18/841.md?p=r) reasonably believed at the time of voting in violation of such subsection that he or she was a citizen of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title II, § 216(a), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–572; amended Pub. L. 106–395, title II, § 201(d)(1), Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1635.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 611, acts June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 724; Feb. 7, 1972, Pub. L. 92–225, title II, § 206, 86 Stat. 10; Oct. 15, 1974, Pub. L. 93–443, title I, §§ 101(e)(2), 103, 88 Stat. 1267, 1272, prohibited campaign contributions by government contractors, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 94–283, title II, § 201(a), May 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 496. See section 30119 of Title 52, Voting and Elections.

### Amendments

2000—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 106–395 added subsec. (c).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2000 Amendment

Pub. L. 106–395, title II, § 201(d)(3), Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1636, provided that: “The amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending this section] shall be effective as if included in the enactment of section 216 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–208; 110 Stat. 3009–572). The amendment made by paragraph (2) [amending section 1015 of this title] shall be effective as if included in the enactment of section 215 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–208; 110 Stat. 3009–572). The amendments made by paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply to an alien prosecuted on or after September 30, 1996, except in the case of an alien whose criminal proceeding (including judicial review thereof) has been finally concluded before the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 2000].”