In an unusual turn of events, a woman from Costa Mesa has been charged with five felonies for registering her dog to vote and casting two mail-in ballots in the pet's name.
The charges stem from her participation in the 2021 California gubernatorial recall election and the 2022 primary election. The woman, Laura Lee Yourex, 62, allegedly registered her dog, Maya Jean Yourex, to vote and proceeded to cast two mail-in ballots.
The first ballot was counted, while the second was rejected, according to Kimberly Edds, a spokeswoman for the Orange County District Attorney.
As reported by RedState, the case came to light when Yourex self-reported to the Orange County Registrar that she had registered her dog to vote. The District Attorney's office began investigating in late October after the Orange County Registrar of Voters office informed them of Yourex's actions. The investigation revealed that Yourex had posted photos on social media, one in January 2022 of her dog wearing an "I voted" sticker, and another in October 2024 of Maya's dog tag and a vote-by-mail ballot with the caption "Maya is still getting her ballot," even after the dog had passed away.
Yourex is due to be arraigned on Tuesday, where she may enter a plea to the two counts of casting a ballot when not entitled to vote, one count each of perjury, procuring or offering a false or forged document to be filed, and registering a non-existent person to vote. If convicted on all counts, she could face up to six years in prison.
This incident highlights a significant concern about California's voting system. In municipal or statewide elections, voters are not required to provide proof of residency or identification. However, in federal elections, first-time voters must show proof of residency. This discrepancy is how the ballot cast in the name of the dog in 2022 was challenged and rejected.
The case also underscores the urgency of cleaning up California's voter rolls, especially in light of Governor Gavin Newsom's controversial redistricting plan. Critics argue that this plan could lead to gerrymandering, further complicating the state's electoral process.
The Civil Rights Division Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon is also scrutinizing California's voting records. Her office requested files from Orange County, but the county refused to supply them, leading to a lawsuit by the federal government.
Dhillon expressed her frustration on Twitter, writing, "And yetOrange County refused to provide @CivilRights with voter registration records they are required to produce on demand. We had to sue! What next, someones pet llama ?? or support peacock ?? on the rolls?! We will find the whole darn menagerie by the time we are done!??"
This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining the integrity of our voting system. It also underscores the need for a thorough review of voting procedures and regulations to prevent such incidents from recurring.
Login