OC woman charged after registering her dog to vote

California woman charged with registering dog to vote

A California woman is facing multiple charges for registering her dog to vote and sending in mail-in ballots in her dog's name for the 2021 and 2022 elections.

COSTA MESA, Calif. - An Orange County woman is facing multiple felony charges for illegally registering her dog to vote and casting a ballot in her dog's name. 

What we know:

Laura Lee Yourex, 62, of Costa Mesa, was charged with one felony count of perjury, one felony count of procuring or offering a false or forged document to be filed, two felony counts of casting a ballot when not entitled to vote, and one felony count of registering a non-existent person to vote, according to the Oange County District Attorney's Office. 

The DA's office said they were contacted by the Orange County Registrar of Voter’s Office on Oct. 28, 2024 about a resident who self-reported that she had registered her dog to vote and had casted a mail-in ballot she received addressed to her dog, Maya Jean Yourex, for the 2021 gubernatorial recall election and the 2022 primary election.

Officials say the dog’s vote was successfully counted in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election but was rejected in the 2022 primary.

The DA's office 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. In October 2024, she showed posted another picture 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.

Criminal charges were filed against Yourex. She faces a maximum sentence of six years in state prison if convicted on all counts.