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OC woman pleads guilty to registering her dog to vote
Laura Lee Yourex pleaded guilty April 10 to misdemeanor knowing registration of a nonexistent person to vote.
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - A Costa Mesa woman who claimed she was performing a "sting operation" on the electoral system by registering her deceased dog to vote has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge and awaits an October sentencing date.
What we know:
Laura Lee Yourex, 63, pleaded guilty on April 10 to a misdemeanor charge of knowing registration of a nonexistent person.
According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Yourex successfully cast ballots in her dog’s name, "Maya Jean Yourex," during the 2021 gubernatorial recall election and the 2022 primary election.
The fraud was uncovered after Yourex self-reported her actions to then-Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates, who subsequently alerted the Orange County Registrar of Voters.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: OC woman charged after registering her dog to vote
Prosecutors noted that Yourex documented her actions on social media, posting a photo of her dog with an "I voted" sticker in early 2022, and later posting a photo of a mail-in ballot in 2024 with the caption "Maya is still getting her ballot," despite the dog having passed away.
What they're saying:
"Laura Yourex sincerely regrets her unwise attempt to expose flaws in our state voting system intending to improve it by demonstrating that even a dog can be registered to vote," said defense attorney Jaime Coulter. "Ms. Yourex never hid from taking personal responsibility as she self-reported the matter."
Orange County Registrar of Voters Bob Page emphasized that the system’s safeguards worked as intended.
"In the last election there were 571 voters who cast ballots that were flagged," Page said, noting that federal and state laws requiring proof of residency and ID for first-time voters act as a critical filter.
Chapman University law professor Nahal Kazemi added that the prosecution proves the system’s checks and balances are functional.
"At least the second time the dog's vote was cast it was identified as an ineligible voter," Kazemi said. "That's what we expect to see. To treat [voter fraud] as the biggest problem in our electoral system is misguided."
What's next:
Yourex will be sentenced on Oct. 16.
The Source: This report is based on official statements from the Orange County District Attorney's Office and the Orange County Registrar of Voters.