Ammon News - A Costa Mesa woman has been charged with multiple felonies after allegedly registering her dog to vote and casting ballots in two California elections, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors said in a press release that Laura Lee Yourex, 62, faces five felony counts, including perjury, offering a false or forged document for filing, casting a ballot when not entitled to vote, and registering a non-existent person to vote.

While prosecutors emphasized that the case involved a single fraudulent registration that did not affect election outcomes, it comes amid a national debate over the security of mail-in ballots. President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that widespread voter fraud occurs through mail voting and has vowed to eliminate the practice.

California election officials, however, maintain that cases of voter fraud are extremely rare in the state, with safeguards in place to detect and reject invalid ballots. In August, Trump vowed to sign an executive order to end the use of mail-in ballots and voting machines ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

News Week