A dog cast ballots in two California elections, owner charged
A California woman is facing felony charges after prosecutors say she registered her dog to vote and cast ballots under the animal’s name in two elections. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced that Laura Lee Yourex, 62, of Costa Mesa, has been charged with five felonies, including perjury, procuring or offering a false or forged document, casting a ballot when not entitled to vote and registering a nonexistent person to vote.
Officials allege that Yourex submitted mail-in ballots using the name of her dog, Maya Jean Yourex, in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election and the 2022 primary. The recall ballot was successfully counted, but the primary ballot was rejected.
The incident came to light in 2024, when Yourex told the Orange County Registrar of Voters that she had registered her dog. The registrar’s office then reported the case to the District Attorney’s Office.
Yourex is a registered Republican, but she listed her dog as having no party preference.
Social media posts cited in investigation
Investigators say Yourex also posted about the scheme online. In January 2022, she shared a photo of her dog wearing an “I Voted” sticker alongside a ballot.
In October 2024, after the dog had died, she posted a picture of Maya’s dog tag and another ballot with the caption, “Maya is still getting her ballot.”
Penalties on the table
Yourex’s arraignment, originally scheduled for Sept. 9, was postponed until Dec. 10, according to KABC in Los Angeles. If convicted on all charges, she faces up to six years in prison.
California requires voters to provide identifying information when registering and to affirm their citizenship under penalty of perjury. Proof of residence or identification is not required to vote in state elections, though first-time voters in federal elections must provide documentation.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
