Prosecutors in Orange County have filed five felony counts against a Costa Mesa woman for allegedly registering her dog to vote, then submitting ballots on behalf of the animal in two elections.
Laura Lee Yourex, 62, faces charges of perjury, procuring or offering a false or forged document to be filed, registering a non-existent person to vote and two counts of casting a ballot when not entitled to vote, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday.
The investigation began in October, when the Orange County Registrar of Voters reported that a person had “self-reported that she had registered her dog to vote and had in fact cast a mail-in ballot she received addressed to her dog, Maya Jean Yourex, for the 2021 gubernatorial recall election and the 2022 primary election,” the district attorney’s officials said in a written statement.
Were a dog’s votes counted?
Close up of a gavel set with background of blurred image scales of justice.
The dog’s vote in the California 2021 gubernatorial recall election was successfully counted, prosecutors said.
The ballot submitted on behalf of Maya the dog in the 2022 presidential primary was rejected, since proof of residence and registration is required for first-time voters registering to cast ballots in federal elections, according to OCDA’s officials.
When registering to vote, potential voters are required to fill out an “Affidavit of Registration,” officials said. The document includes applicants’ names, residences, mailing addresses, dates of birth, political party preference and a certification that the applicant is a U.S. citizen.
“The affidavit must be signed under penalty of perjury,” according to the OCDA statement.
‘I voted’ sticker cited as evidence
Investigators found ample evidence of the fraudulent voting, including the defendant’s own online activity, prosecutors said.
“On her social media, Yourex posted in January 2022 a picture of her dog wearing an ‘I voted’ sticker and posing with her ballot,” the statement said. “Another post from October 2024 showed a photograph of Maya’s dog tag and a vote-by-mail ballot with the caption ‘maya is still getting her ballot” even though the dog had previously passed away.'”
Arraignment for Yourex was scheduled for Sept. 9 in the Westminster branch of Orange County Superior Court.
If convicted as charged, she could face up to six years in state prison.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: SoCal woman accused of registering dog to vote, submitting ballots
