DOJ Exposes California Voter Registration Fraud Scheme Spanning Two Decades
Federal prosecutors in California have secured a guilty plea in a voter registration fraud case involving allegations of improper payments tied to voter registration forms and ballot petition signatures.
Brenda Lee Brown Armstrong, 64, of Marina del Rey, admitted in a plea agreement to participating in a 20-year effort involving the collection and submission of voter registration forms and petition signatures across California.
Federal filings state the activity extended across multiple ballot initiative campaigns and included repeated handling of election-related paperwork over an extended period of time.
According to prosecutors, Armstrong operated within a paid signature-gathering structure in which compensation was tied to the number of valid petition signatures submitted.
Authorities allege she participated in efforts to encourage individuals to complete voter registration forms or petitions, including individuals who were not previously registered to vote.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Armstrong “regularly paid and offered to pay individuals cash, usually in amounts between $2 and $3, to induce them to sign her petitions.”
Prosecutors also allege she was involved in submitting voter registration materials containing inaccurate or false information tied to federal election documentation requirements.
Court records do not specify the total number of voter registration forms or petition signatures involved.
However, prosecutors said the conduct occurred over multiple years and was connected to several California ballot initiative campaigns involving petition circulation and signature collection efforts.
One portion of the conduct occurred in Los Angeles County, including outreach in Skid Row, where individuals experiencing homelessness were approached and asked to complete election-related paperwork, according to federal filings.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said the conduct violated federal election law, citing admissions involving improper payments and inducements tied to voter registration activity and petition collection.
“Today’s an example where fraud did occur. Not only did Ms. Brown pay people to register to vote, which is illegal, it is a federal crime,” he said. “She also induced them to place false information on the voter registration.”
Brenda Lee Brown Armstrong, 64, of Marina del Rey, admitted in a plea agreement to participating in a 20-year effort involving the collection and submission of voter registration forms and petition signatures across California.
Federal filings state the activity extended across multiple ballot initiative campaigns and included repeated handling of election-related paperwork over an extended period of time.
According to prosecutors, Armstrong operated within a paid signature-gathering structure in which compensation was tied to the number of valid petition signatures submitted.
Authorities allege she participated in efforts to encourage individuals to complete voter registration forms or petitions, including individuals who were not previously registered to vote.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Armstrong “regularly paid and offered to pay individuals cash, usually in amounts between $2 and $3, to induce them to sign her petitions.”
Prosecutors also allege she was involved in submitting voter registration materials containing inaccurate or false information tied to federal election documentation requirements.
Court records do not specify the total number of voter registration forms or petition signatures involved.
However, prosecutors said the conduct occurred over multiple years and was connected to several California ballot initiative campaigns involving petition circulation and signature collection efforts.
One portion of the conduct occurred in Los Angeles County, including outreach in Skid Row, where individuals experiencing homelessness were approached and asked to complete election-related paperwork, according to federal filings.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said the conduct violated federal election law, citing admissions involving improper payments and inducements tied to voter registration activity and petition collection.
“Today’s an example where fraud did occur. Not only did Ms. Brown pay people to register to vote, which is illegal, it is a federal crime,” he said. “She also induced them to place false information on the voter registration.”
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