Charges: Itasca County woman filled out ballot on dead mother’s behalf

An Itasca County woman faces multiple felony charges after she allegedly mailed an absentee ballot on behalf of her deceased mother, court documents state.

According to a criminal complaint, the Itasca County Auditor’s Office flagged two absentee ballots it received earlier this month — one for Rose Marie Javorina and another for her daughter, Danielle Christine Miller.

The auditor did not open the sealed ballots but noted that vital records indicated Javorina had died on Aug. 31. The county did not send out absentee ballots until Sept. 20.

Each ballot must be filled out by the voter and a witness — that person must be a registered voter in Minnesota, a notary, or someone who is authorized to give oaths.

The complaint states that the witness section on Miller’s ballot had been filled out by Javorina, and Javorina had filled out and signed the voter section on her own ballot. Both ballots listed the same Nashwauk, Minnesota, address and were filled out with similar black ink.

An Itasca County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant compared the signatures on the ballot with the signature on Miller’s driver’s license and found them to be “very similar and appeared to match each other,” the complaint states.

In an interview on Oct. 11, Miller admitted to the lieutenant she had filled out both her and her mother’s absentee ballots, signing her mother’s name on the signature envelope of Javorina’s ballot and on the witness portion of her own.

Miller said her mother “was an avid Donald Trump supporter and had wanted to vote for Trump in this election” but died before an absentee ballot could be received, according to the complaint.

Prosecutors charged Miller with two counts of intentionally making or signing a false certificate and one count of casting an illegal vote or aiding another. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison or a fine of up to $10,000.

Miller was charged via summons and is not in custody. Her first court appearance is set for Dec. 4.