An undercover investigation by Turning Point USA’s Frontlines team has unveiled potential election-related misconduct in Los Angeles, where petitioners reportedly engaged homeless individuals by offering cigarettes in return for signatures.
The footage captured by journalist Savannah Hernandez on Skid Row displays individuals soliciting signatures from vulnerable residents with promises of valuable items. This practice, if corroborated, would violate California election law.
The video highlights a man distributing cigarettes, encouraging people to sign documents. He even acknowledges this exchange on camera.
According to California Election Code Section 18603, it is against the law to provide any form of compensation, including money or valuable items, in exchange for petition signatures or voter registrations. While compensated petition circulation is permitted, incentivizing signatures crosses into illegal territory.
As the footage unfolds, Hernandez confronts the petitioner, who refutes the accusations and escalates the situation. Soon, others nearby confront the journalist, with one individual urging her to leave while threatening violence.
Despite the rising tensions, Hernandez captures what she labels a rampant and ongoing issue, noting that similar incidents have been documented by various independent reporters.
WATCH:
CALIFORNIA FRAUD EXPOSED: Skid Row petitioner panics after our undercover journalist catches him exchanging cigarettes for signatures.
For years, petitioners have been targeting the homeless on Skid Row, offering bribes such as cigarettes or cash in exchange for signing… pic.twitter.com/0ildOvrPfn
— FRONTLINES TPUSA (@FrontlinesTPUSA) March 20, 2026
The organization asserts that petitioners have previously targeted vulnerable groups in regions such as Skid Row, offering incentives like cigarettes, cash, or drugs in exchange for signatures that could sway California legislation.
An exchange caught on camera includes a man explaining how this system operates.
One resident states, “They don’t provide much information other than, ‘hey, I’ll throw you a couple of bucks’ or ‘I’ll throw you some weed.’ This guy was going to give me some weed, so I agreed. One signature turned into 10, and then 10 signatures led to a voter registration that he didn’t thoroughly explain, signing me up as a Republican without my knowledge.”
“I only realized because I read what I was signing. It’s quite bizarre,” the resident added.
Turning Point USA claims this video is one element of an investigative series, collaborating with Citizen Journalism League and journalist James O’Keefe, aimed at exposing vulnerabilities within California’s election and petition processes. The organization also references previous legal actions to demonstrate the existence of similar schemes.
In 2018, the Los Angeles County District Attorney charged nine individuals with criminal election offenses related to a similar falsification of signatures and voter registrations.
More cases of election fraud have emerged in California, such as charges filed in June 2025 against an individual linked to the Arroyo Grande mayoral elections, dealing with accusations like voter registration fraud and perjury.
In Los Angeles, a different plot concerning Skid Row resulted in multiple prosecutions. Authorities reported that individuals offered money and cigarettes in exchange for signing petitions and voter registration forms, often involving falsified information. One individual pleaded guilty in 2020, with several others later entering guilty pleas related to similar fraudulent activities.
Furthermore, in 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a civil lawsuit against Orange County’s registrar of voters, asserting that officials neglected to maintain accurate voter rolls as mandated by federal law. Although this case pertains to election administration, it reflects ongoing worries and legal challenges regarding election integrity in California.
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