California Woman Charged for Illegally Voting in Dog’s Name

Authorities have reported that a woman from Costa Mesa, California, has been accused of illegally registering her dog and voting twice under the dog’s name. Laura Lee Yourex, aged 62, faces five felony charges, which include perjury and submitting false documents related to voting, as stated by the Orange County Local Council office.

According to the District Attorney’s Office, Yourex submitted mail-in ballots for her dog, Maya Jean Yourex, during both the 2021 governor’s recall election and the 2022 primary election.

Interestingly, the votes cast in the recall election were counted, but the primary votes were disregarded. This situation unfolded after Yourex made a self-report to the Orange County Registrar in October, which led to her being reported to the district attorney’s office.

An investigation revealed that she had posted on social media about her dog’s voting activities. In January 2022, Yourex shared a photo of her dog with an “I voted” sticker. Last October, she further claimed that her deceased dog was still casting votes, showcasing a mail-order vote and a dog collar in her post that stated, “Maya is still voting.”

If convicted on all counts, Yourex could face up to six years in prison. Interestingly, the District Attorney’s Office hasn’t disclosed details about how the fraudulent voting occurred or which political party benefited from the alleged dog votes.

In California, to register to vote, individuals must complete a form providing specific information and confirming their citizenship under penalty of perjury. While first-time voters need to show proof of residence for federal elections, residents don’t require proof of identification for state elections.