A Hoopeston, Illinois, woman, Brenda Knuth, 61, was sentenced on June 26, 2026, to three years of probation and ordered to pay a $2,500 fine for voting twice in a federal election.
On January 30, 2026, Knuth pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long in Urbana, Illinois, to voting more than once in a federal election. Knuth admitted that she voted early in the November 2024 general election and then voted on election day as well. Candidates for federal office were on the ballot in the 2024 general election. After Knuth voted on election day, she posted on Facebook that she “tested the system and it failed.” Knuth later admitted to a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation that she voted twice because she wanted to see if her early vote counted. She admitted that she did not speak with any election official about her prior vote, confirm with anyone whether her early vote counted, or notify the clerk’s office that she voted twice. She acknowledged that she knew that, by voting early, she was not allowed to vote a second time in the same election.
At the sentencing hearing, it was determined that Knuth’s only prior conviction was in Vermilion County, Illinois, in 2025 for unlawful possession of an alligator. After hearing arguments from the parties, United States District Judge Colin S. Bruce sentenced Knuth to three years of probation and a $2,500 fine.
“The right to vote is a fundamental part of our democracy,” said United States Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore. “Abuse of that right cannot be tolerated. Our office is committed to ensuring the integrity of our federal elections and preventing voter fraud.”
“Protecting the integrity of federal elections is one of the FBI’s highest priorities. Every lawful vote has to be counted, and counted only once, for our system to function,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge Ryan Presley. “When individuals knowingly cast multiple ballots, they undermine confidence in the process and violate federal law. This case demonstrates that the FBI will investigate these violations wherever they occur and work with our partners to ensure accountability.”
The statutory penalties for voting more than once in a federal election are up to five years of imprisonment or probation and a $10,000 fine.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, with assistance from the Illinois State Police. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government at sentencing.
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