Los Angeles, CA – In a shocking video circulating widely on social media, a woman living on Los Angeles' notorious Skid Row claims she was approached by canvassers who directed her to fill out a ballot for Mayor Karen Bass and paid her just $2 for her vote, a practice she says happens "all the time" to boost Democratic candidates.
The footage, posted by the account WallStreetApes, shows the woman speaking candidly under the bright California sun amid tents and graffiti-covered fences. When asked if she voted for Karen Bass, she confirms: "Yes, Karen Bass." She describes being told who to vote for and signing "a little thing," receiving a meager $2 in return. "They come out here all the time," she adds, referring to efforts targeting the vulnerable homeless population for Democratic votes.
This latest revelation comes as Los Angeles reels from its mayoral primary, with Bass advancing amid ongoing questions about election integrity in a state where ballot harvesting is not only legal but aggressively defended by Democrats. California law prohibits paying for votes, yet third-party collection of ballots is permitted, a system critics say opens the door to widespread abuse, especially in areas like Skid Row, home to one of the largest concentrations of homeless individuals in the country.
The video echoes years of explosive undercover investigations by James O'Keefe and the O'Keefe Media Group, which have repeatedly captured ballot harvesters on Skid Row offering cash, cigarettes, and even drugs in exchange for signatures, voter registrations, and ballots. In one prior operation, petitioners were filmed instructing homeless individuals to use fake addresses like "Pinocchio Lane" and forging signatures for pay ranging from $2 to $10 per form.
Federal authorities have taken notice. Just weeks ago, a Marina del Rey woman, Brenda Lee Brown Armstrong, agreed to plead guilty to paying homeless people on Skid Row to register to vote, a case sparked in part by O'Keefe's footage. Prosecutors highlighted small payoffs of $2 to $3, mirroring the woman's account in the new video.
Conservative voices and election integrity advocates are sounding the alarm, arguing the footage exposes a systemic "voter fraud network" in deep-blue California. With no-excuse mail-in voting, widespread ballot harvesting, and lax ID requirements, opponents say the system is ripe for exploitation of the homeless, mentally ill, and others least likely to understand or resist the pressure.
"Paying for votes is a crime," one commenter noted in response to the video. Similar operations have been documented in nursing homes and low-income areas, raising questions about the legitimacy of close races. In the recent LA primary, concerns about Skid Row registrations, including at shelters with far more voter forms than beds, fueled calls for investigations.
The video has ignited renewed demands for accountability. Users are urging the DOJ and U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California to investigate, building on prior prosecutions. O'Keefe's work continues to spotlight what he calls "election fraud cash for ballots," with hidden camera footage showing the mechanics of the alleged operation in real time.
As America heads into another critical election cycle, this Skid Row testimony underscores a growing national divide over election security. While Democrats insist voter fraud is "rare," videos like this and federal guilty pleas, suggest otherwise in states where the rules seem designed to look the other way.
