A Costa Mesa woman accused of illegally registering her dog to vote and casting ballots in the animal’s name in two California elections had her criminal case dismissed after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.
Laura Lee Yourex, 64, was originally charged with five felonies after investigators determined she registered her dog, Maya Jean Yourex, to vote and submitted mail-in ballots in the dog’s name during the 2021 California gubernatorial recall election and the 2022 primary election.
The dog’s ballot was counted in the 2021 recall election but, according to prosecutors, was challenged and rejected in the 2022 primary election.
On April 10, 2026, prosecutors dismissed four felony charges and reduced the remaining charge to a misdemeanor as part of a plea agreement to knowingly register a nonexistent person to vote.
As part of the agreement, Yourex was required to pay $1,500 to fund four anti-voter fraud billboards along the 55 and 22 freeways in Orange County. The billboards will remain on display through the Nov. 3, 2026, midterm election.
The billboards, designed by the District Attorney’s Office, feature a photograph of Yourex’s dog posing with a ballot while wearing an “I voted” sticker.
The billboards read: “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.”
Prosecutors said Yourex completed the terms of her plea agreement, resulting in the dismissal of her entire case on Oct. 13.
The investigation began after the Orange County Registrar of Voters contacted the District Attorney’s Office on Oct. 28, 2024, regarding a resident who had reported registering her dog to vote and submitting mail-in ballots in the animal’s name.
Investigators determined that Yourex had submitted two election ballots addressed to Maya Jean Yourex.
In January 2022, Yourex posted a photograph of her dog posing with a ballot while wearing an “I voted” sticker.
In October 2024, Yourex shared another photograph showing Maya’s dog tag alongside a vote-by-mail ballot with the caption, “Maya is still getting her ballot.” The dog had already died by the time of this post.
Following an investigation by the District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigation, prosecutors filed five felony charges against Yourex in September 2025.
The charges included one count of perjury, one count of procuring or offering a false or forged document for filing, two counts of casting a ballot while not entitled to vote and one count of registering a nonexistent person to vote.
In her April 10 plea agreement, signed under penalty of perjury, Yourex admitted to registering her dog to vote on or about May 7, 2020, despite knowing the animal was ineligible.
Under California election law, voters must submit an affidavit of registration containing personal information, including their name, address, date of birth, political party preference and certification of U.S. citizenship. The affidavit must be signed under penalty of perjury.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, proof of residence or identification is not generally required to register or cast a ballot in California state elections. However, additional identification requirements may apply to certain first-time voters in federal elections.
The anti-voter fraud billboards funded through Yourex’s plea agreement also display the Orange County District Attorney’s Election Fraud Hotline.
Anyone with information about suspected election-related irregularities is urged to contact the hotline at 714-721-7578 or email Elections@ocdistrictattorney.gov.
