Two South Florida women from Ukraine accused of illegally voting in 2024 presidential election

Angie DiMichele, South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Apr 29, 2025

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A Boynton Beach woman and her daughter, both originally from Ukraine, are facing federal charges after they allegedly voted in the 2024 presidential election while they were not U.S. citizens.

A criminal complaint was filed in federal court Monday against Svitlana Demydenko, 53, and her daughter, Yelyzaveta Demydenko, 22, who are both facing one count of unlawful voting by an alien in a presidential election. They made their first appearance in federal court in West Palm Beach on Tuesday, federal prosecutors said in a news release.

The mother and daughter entered the U.S. on nonimmigrant visas in April 2021, with Svitlana Demydenko entering on a K1 visa, which allows a foreign citizen to travel to the U.S. to marry their sponsor. They became lawful permanent residents in July 2023, according to the complaint.

Svitlana Demydenko and her daughter both registered to vote in August and voted in October in the presidential election, the complaint said.

In an interview with law enforcement at their home last Friday, Yelyzaveta Demydenko said she registered to vote online and went with her mother and her stepfather to a library in Boynton Beach to vote because “she wanted to make a difference,” according to the complaint.

Svitlana Demydenko told authorities she had also registered online and said she wasn’t aware that she was not allowed to vote, the complaint said.

The women were released from custody Tuesday after posting bail on $25,000 bonds, federal court records show. Their arraignment is scheduled for May 20.

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