Woman Pleads Guilty to Voter Fraud, Ordered to Write Essay
ITASCA COUNTY, Minn. ( trfnews.i234.me ) — A rural Nashwauk woman pleaded guilty Wednesday to voter fraud after admitting she filled out an absentee ballot in her deceased mother’s name during the 2024 general election. As part of her sentence, she must read a book about voting and write a 10-page essay on the importance of democracy.
Danielle Christine Javorina, 51, was charged with felony signing of a false election certificate. According to court documents, Javorina said she filled out her mother’s ballot “at her request,” just weeks after her death on August 31, 2024. The fraudulent submission was flagged by election officials before being counted.
Under questioning, Javorina admitted to filling out both her own ballot and her late mother’s. She claimed she had no memory of mailing them back due to intoxication and entered a Norgaard plea — acknowledging that the evidence was sufficient for conviction, even if she couldn’t recall the act.
The Itasca County Auditor’s Office received both ballots on October 7, 2024. Investigators determined the signatures appeared to match those of Javorina, who had signed her mother’s ballot as a witness and listed her mother as a witness on her own. Both listed the same address on County Road 54, north of Nashwauk.
As part of a plea deal accepted by Judge Heidi Chandler, two additional charges were dismissed. Javorina was sentenced to up to three years of supervised probation, a psychological evaluation, an $885 fine, and restitution as determined by the court.
She must also read “Thank You for Voting: The Maddening, Enlightening, Inspiring Truth About Voting in America” by Erin Geiger Smith and write a 10-page essay on the importance of voting and how election fraud undermines democracy. Successful completion of probation will reduce the felony to a misdemeanor.
Defense attorney Justin Braulick described the incident as a “lapse in judgment,” noting Javorina had recently lost both parents and was under emotional distress. “She’s taking full responsibility for her actions,” he said.
Experts say voter fraud cases remain extremely rare in the U.S. The Associated Press reported fewer than 475 possible cases among 25.5 million votes in six swing states after the 2020 election, and the Heritage Foundation lists only 1,600 proven instances nationwide over several decades.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.