COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA — An Orange County woman who registered her dog to vote has been sentenced to pay for billboards featuring the dog and warning against voter fraud, according to reports. Laura Lee Yourex, 63, cast a ballot in her dog Maya Jean’s name in the 2021 recall election, and it was counted. A second ballot in the 2022 primary was rejected. Yourex said she did it to expose flaws in California’s voting system.
Four Billboards Along the 55 and 22 Freeways Feature Maya Jean
Yourex was ordered to pay for four billboards totaling $1,500 along the 55 and 22 freeways in Orange County. The billboards show her dog with an I Voted sticker and a ballot, along with a warning against voter fraud.
The unusual sentence quickly drew attention online, with many finding the punishment fitting for the case. Further details of her sentence were not included in the viral post. She had been scheduled for sentencing in October.
Dog’s Vote Counted in 2021 Recall but Rejected in 2022 Primary
Prosecutors said Yourex registered Maya Jean to vote and cast mail-in ballots in the dog’s name in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election and the 2022 primary. The first ballot was accepted, while the second was flagged as coming from an ineligible voter.
She posted a photo of Maya wearing an I Voted sticker in January 2022. In October 2024, she shared a photo of a mail-in ballot with a caption saying Maya was still getting ballots, even though the dog had died. Those posts helped investigators build the case.
Yourex Self-Reported to Orange County Registrar of Voters
Yourex reported herself to the Orange County Registrar of Voters in October 2024, which then alerted the district attorney’s office. Her attorney said she never hid from taking personal responsibility and wanted the system investigated and improved. The case was handled by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office…