Woman charged after ballots were cast in her dog’s name twice

A COSTA Mesa woman faces five felony charges and could spend up to six years in prison for voter fraud.

- BY CIARA HARTER

A COSTA Mesa woman faces five felony charges and could spend up to six years in prison for voter fraud.

An Orange County woman faces five felony charges after she was accused of paw-litical fraud by registering her dog to vote and illegally casting ballots for the pooch in two elections, authorities said.

Laura Lee Yourex, 62, of Costa Mesa, allegedly mailed in ballots registered under her dog’s name, Maya Jean Yourex, in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election and the 2022 primary election, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office. The 2021 ballot was accepted, while the 2022 ballot was rejected, prosecutors said.