A Federal Way woman who was charged with a misdemeanor for registering her dog to vote has agreed to a deferred prosecution. Jane Balogh has agreed to a one-year deferred prosecution on condition that she complete ten hours of community service, pay a $250 fine and have no further law violations during the period of the deferral.

After Balogh completes the conditions of the deferred prosecution the charge of making a false or misleading statement to a public servant would be dismissed. However, if she fails to complete the conditions, the court can review the police reports and find her guilty of the charge and sentence her.

A King County District Court Judge approved the deferred prosecution at a hearing this morning at the King County Courthouse.

Balogh was charged in June with the misdemeanor crime of Making a False or Misleading Statement to a Public Servant after King County's Department of Elections discovered that Balogh had registered her dog, Duncan, as a new King County voter and included a paw print from the Australian shepherd-terrier. Balogh had first put Duncan's name on a phone bill, and then used that utility record to apply for a voter registration card. She signed the declaration attesting to Duncan's qualifications to vote.

The 66-year-old grandmother and army veteran told police that she registered her dog to protest a voter registration law that did not require photo ID or more strict forms of identification. She did not attempt to vote the ballots that were sent to her dog, but instead marked them "void" and put a paw print on the signature block.

In arriving at the deferred prosecution offer, Interim King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg said the goals of the prosecution have been met.

"By registering her dog, Ms. Balogh was trying to make a point regarding potential flaws in the voter registration statute, but it's clear that her intent was not to affect the outcome of an election," Satterberg said. "She had her point to make, and so did we -- you can't lie in a declaration on an official document."

"Given Ms. Balogh's exemplary record and her lack of intent to commit actual voter fraud, I believe that accountability through community service and a fine is an appropriate resolution," Satterberg said. "We will not insist on seeking a criminal conviction for this act of civil disobedience," he added.


Dated: September 5, 2007