Two Ukrainian nationals are facing federal charges for allegedly voting illegally in the 2024 U.S. presidential election while not holding American citizenship. The Department of Justice announced that 53-year-old Svitlana Demydenko and her 22-year-old daughter, Yelyzaveta Demydenko, both appeared before a federal judge in West Palm Beach on April 29.
According to the DOJ, the women entered the United States on nonimmigrant visas in April 2021. Despite not being citizens, they successfully registered to vote in August 2024 by falsely certifying that they were U.S. citizens. They later cast ballots during early voting on October 31, 2024, in Palm Beach, Florida—including for the office of President of the United States.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida announced the charges alongside Acting HSI Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa and Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Commissioner Mark Glass.
The case is the result of a coordinated investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, FDLE’s Office of Executive Investigations and Election Crime Unit, the Florida Department of State’s Office of Election Crimes and Security, the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections, the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, and the Department of Government Efficiency.
Prosecutors say the incident raises concerns about vulnerabilities in the voter registration system, which currently relies on individuals to self-certify their citizenship status. Assistant U.S. Attorney John McMillan is handling the prosecution, which remains ongoing.
The charges come as Republican lawmakers nationwide continue pushing for legislation to ensure only U.S. citizens vote in federal elections, following record numbers of illegal border crossings during the Biden administration.
