A 62-year-old California woman is facing five felony charges after allegedly registering her dog to vote and casting ballots in two elections. Prosecutors say one of the ballots was counted during the 2021 gubernatorial recall election. The incident raises serious concerns about the security of mail-in voting in the state.
Laura Lee Yourex of Costa Mesa has been charged with perjury, voter fraud, and submitting false documents. According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Yourex registered her dog “Maya Jean Yourex” to vote. She allegedly cast a ballot under the dog’s name in the 2021 California recall election and attempted to vote again in the June 2022 primary.
The ballot in the 2021 recall was counted. The second ballot was rejected because the voter could not be verified. Despite this, prosecutors say Yourex committed multiple felony offenses by registering a non-human to vote and casting a fraudulent ballot.
The case was uncovered after Yourex self-reported the activity to election officials in October 2024. Prosecutors allege that she posted images on social media indicating the dog had voted. One post showed the dog wearing an “I Voted” sticker. Another post from 2024 showed a ballot envelope with the dog’s name and the caption, “maya is still getting her ballot,” even though the dog had reportedly died by then.
The case brings renewed attention to vulnerabilities in California’s vote-by-mail system. While officials claim protections are effective, the incident demonstrates how easily someone can exploit the system if they choose to act dishonestly.
