News Summary
Orange County officials have initiated measures to eradicate non-human registrations from the voter rolls after a woman allegedly registered her dog to vote. The Board of Supervisors directed efforts to enhance the integrity of voter registrations, raising concerns over potential vulnerabilities in the system. Cross-referencing animal control licenses with voter registrations is part of the new plan to prevent fraudulent registrations, as officials aim to maintain accurate voter rolls amid legal challenges regarding voter information confidentiality.
Orange County officials are taking steps to eliminate non-human registrations from voter rolls, following a scandal involving a woman registering her dog to vote. In a recent vote, the Board of Supervisors directed Registrar of Voters Bob Page to intensify efforts to remove these registrations. The board passed the directive 3-1, with Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento opposing it and Chairman Doug Chaffee abstaining from the vote.
The directive was prompted by the case of Laura Lee Yourex from Costa Mesa, who allegedly registered her dog and cast ballots in its name. This incident raised concerns among some supervisors regarding the integrity of the county’s voter registration system. Supervisors Don Wagner and Janet Nguyen, who proposed the directive, pointed to this case as indicative of broader issues within the voter registration process. Wagner highlighted the existence of 17 non-citizens involved in a lawsuit against the county as an example of potential vulnerabilities.
As part of the new measures, the directive calls for cross-referencing animal control agency licenses with voter registrations to prevent any further occurrences of similar registrations. According to Registrar Page, there have been no matches found between the county’s animal control licenses and unincorporated area voter registrations to date. Nonetheless, there are known discrepancies, as approximately 2,600 individuals slated to participate in an upcoming special election have not provided proof of identity or residency, a requirement for federal elections but not for state-only votes.
There are stipulations in place at the state level that mandate voters sign an affidavit declaring their citizenship, along with penalties for perjury. Concerns have also been raised by Wagner surrounding the integrity of the upcoming special election for congressional redistricting, suggesting it may enable more irregularities similar to dog registrations.
In response to the directives, officials are planning to contact voters who have not provided proof of identity or residency to validate their registrations. Page reinforced the commitment to maintaining accurate voter rolls, stating that any attempts to manipulate the system would be referred to the district attorney. He also emphasized that the county’s election rolls are comparatively well maintained, with a performance that surpasses the national average regarding undeliverable mail.
Meanwhile, Supervisor Chaffee commended the Registrar’s independent management of election processes and acknowledged recent recognitions awarded to the office. However, Sarmiento expressed a differing opinion, arguing that the focus should be on enhancing voter participation rather than solely on eliminating ineligible registrations.
In December 2024, a public hearing is scheduled to address the Registrar’s new voter education and outreach plan. Alongside the directive to eliminate non-human registrations, Wagner also introduced a resolution opposing Proposition 50, aimed at modifying California’s congressional districts. Nevertheless, this proposal was not passed.
Privacy around voter registration was a point of contention, with Supervisor Katrina Foley defending the need for confidentiality and opposing disclosure of sensitive personal information. On the federal level, a lawsuit has been filed against the Orange County Registrar, accusing the office of violating federal law by withholding detailed voter registration information. Part of this situation stems from a Justice Department request for details about individuals removed from voter rolls, to which Orange County responded by redacting sensitive information due to state privacy laws.
In summary, the actions taken by the Orange County Board of Supervisors reflect an ongoing commitment to uphold the integrity of the voter registration process, even against the backdrop of legal challenges and recent fraudulent activity associated with non-human voter registrations.
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Additional Resources
- Los Angeles Times: Justice Department Sues Orange County Registrar
- Wikipedia: Voter Registration in the United States
- Florida Politics: Orange County Gets Money Back After Scandal
- Google Search: Orange County voter registration fraud
- LAist: Orange County Supervisors Ethics Code Vote
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Election
- Click Orlando: Orange County Commission Vote
- Google News: Orange County elections
Author: STAFF HERE COSTA MESA WRITER
COSTA MESA STAFF WRITER The COSTA MESA STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERECostaMesa.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Costa Mesa, Orange County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the OC Fair, Concerts in the Park, and Fish Fry. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce and Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast, plus leading businesses in retail, fashion, and technology that power the local economy such as Vans, Experian, and South Coast Plaza. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAnaheim.com, HEREBeverlyHills.com, HERECoronado.com, HEREHollywood.com, HEREHuntingtonBeach.com, HERELongBeach.com, HERELosAngeles.com, HEREMissionViejo.com, HERESanDiego.com, and HERESantaAna.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into California's dynamic landscape.
