A California woman who registered her own dog to vote has learned her fate - and it’s certainly a little ruff.
Laura Lee Yourex, 64, was charged with five felonies after investigators determined that she registered her dog, Maya Jean, to vote and submitted five mail-in ballots during the 2021 state recall election and the 2022 primary election, according to KTLA.
She recently reached a plea deal in the case that saw the charges dismissed after she agreed to a unique punishment.
Yourex agreed to pay $1,500 to fund four billboards in Orange County to warn voters about fraud and have her dog featured in the ad.
Prosecutors noted that the dog’s vote was successfully counted in the 2021 recall election, but was not for the 2022 primary.
The billboards featured a photo of Maya Jean with an “I voted” sticker and carried the message “Don’t be a dog,” KTLA noted. They remind residents that voting fraud is a crime and anyone not eligible should not vote.
Voters are also reminded that fraud can be reported to the District Attorney’s office.
The billboards are currently up and will remain in place through the November election, according to the report.
The investigation started after a woman called the Orange County Registrar of Voters and said she registered her dog to vote. Yourex also made social media posts about her scheme.
Yourex pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor case earlier this year, which prosecutors dismissed this week after the billboards went up.
