The Shocking Voter Registration Error in Oregon
SALEM, Ore. – In a startling revelation, Oregon transportation authorities waited weeks to inform elections officials about an error that registered over 1,200 people to vote without providing proof of U.S. citizenship.
The Department of Transportation spokesperson, Kevin Glenn, revealed that the Oregon Driver & Motor Vehicle Services (DMV) first discovered the improper registrations on Aug. 1, without fully understanding the extent or cause of the error.
However, Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade only learned of the error six weeks later on Sept. 12. Governor Tina Kotek was made aware of the issue on Sept. 13, according to spokesperson Elisabeth Shepard.
The mistake stemmed from Oregon’s policy of allowing noncitizens to obtain driver’s licenses since 2019, with the DMV automatically registering most individuals to vote during the licensing process.
Recently, Oregon elections officials removed 1,259 individuals from voter rolls after determining they hadn’t provided proof of U.S. citizenship when initially registered to vote. These individuals must reregister with proper documentation to cast their ballot in the upcoming 2024 election.
While nine of these individuals voted in elections since 2021, a small fraction of Oregon’s 3 million registered voters, authorities also found that ten individuals voted improperly after being registered. One of these individuals was later confirmed to be eligible to vote.
Elections officials are currently investigating whether these individuals were truly ineligible to vote when they cast their ballots or simply failed to provide the required paperwork during registration.
The DMV has acknowledged a clerical data-entry error and is working with election authorities to rectify the issue. Governor Kotek has called for enhanced staff training, a data quality control schedule, and a detailed report outlining the error’s cause and prevention measures for the future.
An inquiry from the Institute for Responsive Government in July prompted the DMV to review its voter registration process. This has sparked discussion among lawmakers for potential legislative changes in the future.
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