Number Of Non-citizen Voters In Oregon Grows
Salem, Ore. – State officials in Oregon have identified a total of 1,259 incorrect voter registrations tied to noncitizens through the state’s “Motor Voter” program, according to a joint statement from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the Oregon Secretary of State’s office. This marks an increase from the initial 306 flagged registrations earlier this month.
The DMV reported that 10 of the inactivated registrations had a voting history. However, one of those individuals was later confirmed to be eligible to vote, reducing the number of potentially noncitizen voters to nine.
Oregon officials have not confirmed that all 1,259 registrations belong to noncitizens. The DMV stated that these individuals were “incorrectly identified” as eligible voters, and some may simply need to re-register with the appropriate documentation. Inactivated voters will not receive a ballot for the 2024 election.
Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade assured the public that the 2024 General Election would not be affected by the registration errors. She emphasized that noncitizen voting remains “exceedingly rare” in Oregon and across the country.
In response to the issue, Governor Tina Kotek has directed the DMV to implement measures to prevent future errors. These steps include additional staff training, an after-action report on how the mistakes occurred, a third-party data integrity review, and the establishment of a data quality control calendar.
Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham has called for a more extensive audit of Oregon’s voter rolls, expressing concern about the scope of the issue. He criticized the state’s response and argued that the discovery of the registration errors was due to inquiries from a national think tank, not proactive action by state officials.
The registration issue stems from Oregon’s 2016 Motor Voter law, which automatically registers DMV customers who provide proof of U.S. citizenship to vote. A 2021 law allowing noncitizens to obtain driver’s licenses introduced complications, as DMV staff sometimes mistakenly selected documentation indicating citizenship for noncitizens.
The DMV stated that the errors were discovered during a proactive review of its system ahead of the 2024 election. As of now, the DMV reports 766,756 people have been registered to vote through the Motor Voter program. The agency reviewed 1.4 million records compiled since 2021 to identify the 1,259 registrations in question. Notifications have been sent to affected individuals.
DMV Administrator Amy Joyce expressed regret over the situation but emphasized that swift action had been taken to resolve the issue before the election.
Voters must register by October 15, 2024, to participate in the general election.