Election Law Violation in Los Angeles

A 64-year-old woman has confessed to breaking election laws by financially incentivizing homeless individuals on Skid Row to register to vote.

Brenda Lee Brown Armstrong, who has spent nearly two decades as a paid signature gatherer, faced legal repercussions for her actions. According to a press release from the U.S. Justice Department, Armstrong regularly paid vulnerable individuals—often between $2 and $3—to encourage them to sign petitions.

Armstrong, sometimes referred to as “Annika,” plans to plead guilty to one felony charge related to this voter registration scheme. She explained that she was recruited by a “coordinator” to collect signatures for various voter-related initiatives and recalls.

During her work in Los Angeles, she began paying homeless individuals to help with the signature collection, often having them register at old addresses due to their lack of stable housing. Prosecutors noted that Armstrong frequently offered cash to motivate these individuals to participate.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon highlighted the gravity of the situation, emphasizing how such actions could endanger the integrity of California’s voter system and ultimately affect state and federal elections. U.S. Attorney Bill Esseri echoed these sentiments, attributing the identification and arrest of Armstrong to independent investigative efforts.

Armstrong could potentially face up to five years in prison for her felony conviction. The justice department continues to stress the need for election integrity, stating that fraudulent registrations can severely undermine public trust in the electoral process.

“The Department of Justice remains committed to ensuring fair elections free of unlawful influence, maintaining public confidence in election results,” Dhillon added.