A Costa Mesa woman, Laura Lee Yourex, 62, is facing five felony charges for allegedly registering her dog to vote and submitting ballots in two elections. According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Yourex used her dog’s name, Maya Jean Yourex, to vote in the 2021 California gubernatorial recall election and the 2022 primary election. The 2021 ballot was counted, but the 2022 ballot was rejected.
Yourex is charged with perjury, offering a false or forged document, casting a ballot when not entitled to vote, and registering a non-existent person to vote. She could face up to six years in state prison if convicted on all counts. Yourex is set to be arraigned at the Stephen K. Tamura West Justice Center in Westminster on Tuesday.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office was alerted to the situation in October 2024 when Yourex self-reported her actions to the Orange County Registrar of Voters. An investigation revealed that she had posted about the fraudulent activity on social media, including a photo of her dog with an “I Voted” sticker and a ballot.
California law requires voters to fill out an Affidavit of Registration with personal details and a certification of U.S. citizenship under penalty of perjury. However, proof of residence is not required for state elections, which allowed the 2021 ballot to be accepted. The 2022 ballot was rejected due to discrepancies in registration requirements for federal elections.
Anyone with information on election-related irregularities is encouraged to contact the Orange County District Attorney’s Election Fraud Hotline.
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