A 62-year-old woman in California is facing up to six years in prison after she allegedly registered her pet dog to vote in state elections.
Prosecutors said Laura Yourex of Costa Mesa used her dog, Maya Jean, to exploit loopholes in the voter registration system. She shared photos on social media in 2021 showing Maya wearing an “I voted” sticker during the gubernatorial election.
Even after the dog’s death, Yourex posted in October 2024 that “maya is still getting her ballot,” alongside a photo of the pet’s dog tag and a mail-in ballot.
Investigations began after she reported herself to authorities last year. She has now been charged with several felonies, including perjury, offering false documents, and casting a ballot when not entitled to vote.
At her court appearance on Tuesday, Yourex did not enter a plea. Her lawyer, Jaime Coulter, told reporters that her actions were misguided but not intended as fraud.
“Laura Yourex sincerely regrets her unwise attempt to expose flaws in our state voting system, intending to improve it by demonstrating that even a dog can be registered to vote,” Coulter said.
He added that her intention was “to have them investigate and ultimately improve our voting registration system.”
Under California law, voters register by submitting an affidavit with personal details such as name, address, and date of birth. Proof of residence or ID is not required for state elections, though it is for federal elections.
The Orange County District Attorney’s office confirmed that the ballot cast in Maya’s name during the 2022 primaries was rejected.
Election security has been a hot topic in the US, with Republicans often claiming — without evidence — that voter rolls are filled with non-citizens and dead people.
