Woman illegally cast ballots under her dog’s name in California elections

A California woman illegally registered her dog to vote and cast two ballots under the canine’s name, according to officials.

Laura Lee Yourex, 62, of Costa Mesa, faces five felony charges, including perjury, procuring or offering a false or forged document to be filed, casting a ballot when not entitled to vote and registering a non-existent person to vote, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

Yourex submitted mail-in ballots under her dog’s name, Maya Jean Yourex, during the 2021 gubernatorial recall election and the 2022 primary, the District Attorney’s Office said.

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The recall ballot was counted, but the primary ballot was rejected.

The woman reported herself in October of last year to the Orange County Registrar of Voter’s Office, which reported her to the District Attorney’s Office.

An investigation into the incident revealed she posted about her dog’s voting activity on social media.

In January 2022, Yourex posted a photo of her dog wearing an “I Voted” sticker and posing with the ballot.

In October of last year, she posted a photo of the dog’s collar and a mail-in ballot addressed to the animal, saying that Maya still received the ballot despite passing away.

“Maya is still getting her ballot,” Yourex wrote.

Yourex faces a maximum sentence of six years in prison if convicted on all counts.

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The District Attorney’s Office did not reveal how Yourex cast the fraudulent votes or which party received the dog’s votes.

To register to vote in California, an eligible voter must fill out a form with identifiable information, political preference and affirm their citizenship under the penalty of perjury.

Proof of residence or identification is not required for citizens to register to vote or cast a ballot in state elections, but proof of residence and registration is needed for first-time voters to cast a ballot in a federal election.