Woman Pleads Guilty to Paying Homeless People to Register to Vote

A Los Angeles woman has pleaded guilty to one felony count of paying another person to register to vote in a federal election. The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Prosecutors said the woman worked for roughly two decades as a paid petition circulator collecting signatures for California ballot initiatives.

Officials said the woman targeted areas with large homeless populations and offered payments typically between two and three dollars. On several occasions she allowed individuals to use her own address on registration forms, which could have directed mail-in ballots to that location.

The plea agreement describes an incident on January 30, 2026, in which the woman paid another person with cash, cigarettes, or phone cords to register to vote.

California election law permits homeless individuals to register using a shelter, park, or other location where they regularly stay. The primary election is scheduled for June 2, with mail-in voting already underway. The woman is scheduled to appear in United States District Court in Santa Ana for her initial hearing and is expected to formally enter the guilty plea in the coming weeks.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.