According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, 62-year-old Laura Lee Yourex of Costa Mesa faces five felony charges for using her dog’s name, “Maya Jean Yourex,” to cast ballots in two elections.
The first was the 2021 recall election of Gov. Gavin Newsom. The second was the 2022 primary. Prosecutors say the 2021 ballot was counted. The 2022 ballot was caught and rejected because of stricter federal requirements.
She even bragged about it online. In January 2022, she posted a photo of her dog with an “I Voted” sticker next to a ballot. And as late as October 2024, she admitted ballots were still arriving in Maya’s name, even though her dog had died.
She finally self-reported to election officials that same month. Now she could face up to six years in prison if convicted of charges like perjury and casting unauthorized ballots.
A California woman registered her dog to vote and sent mail-in ballots on behalf of her dog
But Democrats assured us mail-in voting is completely and totally secure! pic.twitter.com/1OsP9841hQ
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) September 7, 2025
Conservatives Point to Weak Mail-In Rules
Mail-in voting was made permanent in California in 2021, when Gov. Newsom signed Assembly Bill 37. That law sent ballots to every registered voter automatically, no ID required. To register, all you need is to sign an affidavit swearing you’re eligible.
Critics say that’s how Yourex pulled it off. There was no ID check. No residency proof. Nothing but her word. And it worked – her dog’s ballot was counted in 2021.
The conservative outlet Pravda USA wrote that this case shows “how easy it is to game the system” and called for banning mail-in voting altogether.
The Western Journal noted that Yourex wasn’t caught by election safeguards, but only because she admitted it herself. What about the fraudsters who don’t post selfies of their dog with an ‘I Voted’ sticker?
Nevada: Same Debate, Different Rules
Here in Nevada, the fight is just as heated.
Our state also moved to universal mail ballots during COVID, and the Democrat-controlled Legislature made it permanent in 2021.
Like California, no ID is required to vote by mail in Nevada. That’s why Gov. Joe Lombardo has been pushing for voter ID laws.
Democrats in Carson City blocked his proposal, but polls consistently show voter ID has strong support. A 2023 survey from OH Predictive Insights found 74% of Nevadans favor requiring photo ID at the polls.
Cases like the California “dog voter” only add fuel to the fire here. If one fraudulent ballot was accepted there, critics say the same could easily happen in Nevada – unless lawmakers tighten the rules.
Defenders Say Fraud Is Rare
Election officials and liberal outlets like the Los Angeles Times tell a different story. They point out that fraud cases are rare and argue safeguards like signature verification work.
In this case, they note, the 2022 ballot was rejected, showing the system caught the problem. And the Orange County Grand Jury reported earlier this year that it found no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2024 election.
But conservatives argue that’s missing the point. Fraud doesn’t have to be widespread to matter.
Every illegal vote cancels out a legal one. And in close races, even a handful of bad ballots could change the outcome.
Why It Matters
Some may shrug off Yourex’s stunt because it was “just one ballot.”
But if one woman could register her dog and get away with it long enough for the vote to count, what’s to stop someone from doing it on a bigger scale?
Without voter ID and stronger safeguards, the system is built on trust – and, as this case shows, not everyone can be trusted.
That’s why this story resonates far beyond Orange County. For Nevadans worried about election integrity, it’s a reminder of how fragile confidence in our system really is.
And until state lawmakers act, critics say the door remains open for more “Maya Jean” ballots slipping through the cracks.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
