(NEW YORK) — A California woman is facing six years in prison for allegedly registering her dog to vote and casting mail-in ballots in two elections, one of which was counted, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced.
Laura Lee Yourex, 62, of Costa Mesa, was charged with five felonies, 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.
The dog’s vote was successfully counted in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election but was rejected in the 2022 primary, according to officials.
In 2024, Yourex told the Orange County Registrar of Voters’ Office that she had registered her dog, Maya Jean Yourex, to vote, and the registrar of voters then contacted the District Attorney’s Office.
On her social media, according to the district attorney, Yourex posted a picture of her dog wearing an “I voted” sticker and posing with her ballot in January 2022.
Another post from October 2024 showed a photograph of Maya’s dog tag and a vote-by-mail ballot with the caption, “maya is still getting her ballot” even though the dog had previously passed away, the district attorney’s office said.
Her arraignment was scheduled for Sept. 9 but postponed until Dec. 10, according to ABC Los Angeles station, KABC.
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