In Orange County, California, a woman could end up spending up to six years in prison for allegedly registering her dog to vote and casting two votes, one of which was accepted.
Laura Lee Yourex, who is 62 years old and from Costa Mesa, is facing five felony charges linked to voter fraud for putting her dog’s name on the ballot.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office reported that Yourex mailed in ballots for both the 2021 governor’s recall election and the 2022 primary election using the name Maya Jean Yourex, the name of her dog. Interestingly, her first vote was successfully counted, while the second was disputed and subsequently rejected.
Last October, Yourex voluntarily reported her actions to the Orange County Voter Registrar, who then informed local authorities.
An investigation revealed that she had registered to vote for Maya Jean, participated in two elections, and even shared her experiences on social media. In January 2022, she posted a photo of her dog sporting a “I voted” sticker, and later shared an image in October 2024 showing a dog collar along with a mailed ballot she still received, despite the dog having passed away.
She has been charged with five counts, including perjury and casting illegal votes. Court proceedings are set to begin next week.
To register to vote in California, residents need to verify their citizenship and complete a form that requires certain personal information, as well as acknowledge the penalties for perjury. Interestingly, while the law doesn’t ask for proof of residence or identification to register or vote in state elections, first-time voters do need to show proof of residency for federal elections.
This situation raises questions about the inconsistency where the 2021 recall vote was accepted, yet the subsequent vote using the dog’s name was challenged and invalidated.
The 2021 recall election ultimately failed, with Governor Gavin Newsom retaining his position, getting support from 62% of voters.
The District Attorney’s office hasn’t disclosed how Yourex may have voted in connection to the alleged fraud or if any political group benefited from her actions.
If anyone has information about potential election-related irregularities, they are encouraged to contact the DA’s Office Election Fraud Hotline.
