Oregon registers 1.2k voters without proof of citizenship, waited to report error

Oct 1

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Kaleb Gillespie (Video Editor)

An error at the Oregon DMV led to more than 1,200 people being registered to vote without proof of U.S. citizenship. Transportation officials first learned of the error on Aug. 1, but election officials were not informed until six weeks later.

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The figure of 1,200 is significantly higher than the previously reported number of 300 noncitizens registered on voter rolls. The number of individuals without proof of citizenship has increased to four times that amount.

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It remains unclear how many of the 1,200 are noncitizens and how many are citizens lacking proper documentation. All individuals have since been removed from the state’s voter rolls.

Oregon allows noncitizens to obtain driver licenses, and the DMV automatically registers most people to vote when they receive a driver license or identification card. The DMV attributed the issue to “clerical errors on the part of the DMV staff.”

“Election integrity and security is of vital importance to us, and the DMV and the Secretary of State take the issue incredibly seriously,” Kris Strickler, director of the Oregon Department of Transportation told reporters Monday, Sept. 30. “The agencies have continued to implement swift corrective action to ensure that this data processing error will not impact the 2024 election or future elections.”

The state is now asking DMV applicants to provide their state of birth as a safeguard to prevent similar issues in the future, while standing by the DMV’s process of registering voters.

“There are currently three million registered voters in Oregon, so we’re talking about a fraction of a fraction of a percent,” Ben Morris, the secretary of state’s chief of staff told Oregon Public Broadcasting. “Automatic voter registration at the DMV remains the most trusted and secure way for engaging more eligible voters in our democracy.”

Tags: 2024 Elections, Election, Election security, Oregon, Voter registration

IN OREGON – AN ERROR AT THE DMV LED TO 12 HUNDRED PEOPLE BEING REGISTERED TO VOTE – DESPITE NO RECORD OF PROOF OF U.S. CITIZENSHIP.

THE ERROR WAS FIRST LEARNED BY TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS ON AUGUST FIRST –

HOWEVER – **ELECTION OFFICIALS WEREN’T TOLD OF THE ISSUE UNTIL SIX WEEKS LATER.

THE 12 HUNDRED FIGURE IS A LOT LARGER THAN PREVIOUSLY REPORTED.

WE TOLD YOU LAST MONTH STATE OFFICIALS FOUND 300 NON-CITIZENS REGISTERED ON THEIR VOTER ROLLS.

THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITHOUT PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP BALLOONED TO FOUR TIMES THAT IN THE STATE’S MOST RECENT NUMBERS.

HOWEVER IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE ITS STILL **UNCLEAR HOW MANY OF THE 12 HUNDRED ARE NON-CITIZENS – AND HOW MANY **ARE CITIZENS BUT ARE MISSING THE PROPER DOCUMENTATION.

BUT ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE STATE’S VOTER ROLLS.

SO HOW DID THESE 12 HUNDRED PEOPLE ACCIDENTALLY BECOME REGISTERED TO VOTE BY THE DMV?

OREGON ALLOWS NON-CITIZENS TO OBTAIN DRIVER LICENSES.

AND THE STATE’S DMV AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERS MOST PEOPLE TO VOTE WHEN THEY OBTAIN A DRIVER LICENSE OR AN ID.

THE DMV CHALKED IT UP TO “CLERICAL ERRORS ON THE PART OF THE DMV STAFF.”

THE DIRECTOR OF THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TOLD REPORTERS MONDAY “Election integrity and security is of vital importance to us, and the DMV and the Secretary of State take the issue incredibly seriously. The agencies have continued to implement swift corrective action to ensure that this data processing error will not impact the 2024 election or future elections.”

THE STATE IS NOW ASKING DMV APPLICANTS TO PROVIDE THE STATE THEY WERE BORN IN AS A “SAFEGUARD” TO TRY AND PREVENT THE ISSUE FROM HAPPENING AGAIN –

AND STANDS BY THE DMV’S PROCESS OF REGISTERING PEOPLE TO VOTE.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S CHIEF OF STAFF TELLING OREGON PUBLIC BROADCASTING – “

There are currently three million registered voters in Oregon, so we’re talking about a fraction of a fraction of a percent. Automatic voter registration at the DMV remains the most trusted and secure way for engaging more eligible voters in our democracy.”

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REPORTING FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS – I’M KARAH RUCKER.