Legal Consequences for Voter Fraud
A resident of Costa Mesa, California, has finalized her criminal case after facing five felony charges related to the illegal registration of her dog as a voter. According to officials from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the individual submitted ballots under the name of her pet, Maya Jean Yourex, during both the 2021 California gubernatorial recall election and the 2022 state primary election.
Prosecutors confirmed that while the dog’s ballot was processed during the 2021 recall of Governor Gavin Newsom, it was not counted in the 2022 primary.
Evidence from Social Media
The investigation into Laura Lee Yourex began after she shared details of her actions on social media. Prosecutors noted that in January 2022, she posted an image of her dog wearing an “I voted” sticker alongside a mail-in ballot. One of her social media captions reportedly stated, “maya is still getting her ballot.”
Public Deterrence Through Billboards
As part of her plea agreement, finalized on April 10, Yourex was required to pay $1,500 to cover the costs of four billboards featuring the incriminating photo she had previously shared online. These billboards are displayed along the 55 and 22 freeways in Orange County and are scheduled to remain up until the midterm election on November 3.
The billboards serve as a public warning from the district attorney's office, carrying the following message:
“Don’t be a dog. Voter Fraud is a Crime. If you can’t legally vote, don’t vote. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office will prosecute.”
Admission of Guilt
In a sworn statement submitted during her plea, Yourex acknowledged her actions:
“On or about 5/7/20, in Orange County, I did willfully and unlawfully cause an animal, to wit: a dog, to be registered as a voter, knowing that animal was not entitled to registration as a nonexistent person, and mailed and delivered that affidavit to a county elections official.”
The case reached its conclusion roughly two years after the Orange County Registrar of Voter’s Office first flagged the irregularities to the District Attorney's office in October 2024.