Setting It Level · Viral Post Fact Check ·
A dog successfully voted in a California election.
What We Found
The case is real: Laura Lee Yourex, 64, of Costa Mesa admitted registering her dog, Maya Jean Yourex, to vote on or about May 7, 2020, knowing the dog wasn't eligible. She cast the mail ballots sent in the dog's name.
One ballot counted: the ballot in the dog's name was counted in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election. The 2022 primary ballot was challenged and rejected because the ID and proof of residence required for first-time voters in a federal election weren't provided.
How it came out: she posted an "I voted" photo of the dog in January 2022, and in October 2024 posted that "Maya is still getting her ballot" after the dog had died. On Oct. 28, 2024, the Orange County Registrar referred her self-report to the DA. Her attorney said she did it to expose flaws in the voting system.
Context: it's not breaking news (the ballots were cast in 2021 and 2022), and the dog didn't vote; its owner did, illegally. The second attempt was caught.
Sources
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