A California woman now reportedly faces up to six years in prison after prosecutors say she registered her dog to vote and successfully cast a ballot in a statewide election — a case that underscores persistent concerns about the integrity of mail-in voting.
Laura Lee Yourex, 62, of Costa Mesa, was charged with five felony counts of voter fraud, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors allege she used the name of her dog, Maya Jean Yourex, to submit ballots during both the 2021 gubernatorial recall election and the 2022 primary.
Authorities say the ballot cast during the recall election was successfully counted. The second ballot, submitted in 2022, was flagged and rejected.
In a statement, the D.A.’s office said Yourex later admitted to the scheme, self-reporting to the Orange County Registrar of Voters in October.
That disclosure prompted an investigation, which found she had not only registered the pet to vote but also documented her actions publicly.
In January 2022, Yourex posted a photograph on social media of Maya Jean wearing an “I Voted” sticker alongside the fraudulent ballot. Nearly two years later, in October 2024, she posted again — this time showing the dog’s collar and a mail-in ballot addressed to the animal, despite the fact the pet had since died.
Prosecutors charged Yourex with perjury, offering a forged document, casting a ballot when not entitled to vote, and registering a fictitious person, among other crimes. She is expected to appear in court next week.
California law requires voters to provide basic information, including citizenship, political affiliation, and an attestation under penalty of perjury in order to register. But unlike in many states, residents are not required to present identification to register or cast ballots in state elections.
That loophole appears to have made the fraud possible, officials said. The fraudulent vote was accepted in the 2021 recall election, though the 2022 primary ballot was challenged.
Gov. Gavin Newsom ultimately survived the recall effort, receiving nearly 62 percent of the vote.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office declined to specify how Yourex cast the ballots or whether the fraud was intended to benefit any political party.
The incident, however, has reignited concerns about election safeguards in California, where universal mail-in ballots and the lack of voter ID requirements have long drawn criticism.
Conservatives in particular have argued that such policies create opportunities for fraud, even on a small scale.
The Yourex case, prosecutors said, demonstrates how easy it is to exploit weaknesses in the system — and how difficult it can be to detect irregularities once a ballot has already been counted.
Officials urged the public to report any suspicious voting activity to the Election Fraud Hotline at the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, (657) 707-4048.
For Yourex, the charges carry a potential six-year prison sentence. For California, the case is another reminder that confidence in elections depends not only on turnout and access but also on trust that every ballot comes from a legitimate voter.
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