Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade issued a directive for further action following errors discovered during the DMV's audit. In a move to protect the 2024 election proceedings, 302 voter registrations will be inactivated due to their lack of necessary eligibility proof. This decision comes in the wake of the DMV's After Action Report which highlighted significant errors in their registration processes.
According to a statement from Secretary Griffin-Valade, the step to inactivate these registrations aims to strengthen the public’s trust in the voting system. “The DMV’s After Action Report raises serious concerns about this important part of our voter registration system. The first step in restoring the public’s trust in Motor Voter is a transparent review by a neutral third party operating under strict government auditing standards,” Griffin-Valade was quoted in an article posted on the official Oregon Secretary of State website. County officials have also been directed to issue due process letters allowing these individuals the opportunity to re-register if they can confirm their eligibility.
Further safeguarding measures include the establishment of a new oversight position within the Oregon Elections Division, intended to ensure adherence to automatic voter registration policies. A collaborative procedure with the DMV is also set to be put in place for regular data verification.
The affected 302 individuals will not receive ballots in the upcoming election without eligibility validation. This is part of the extensive corrective actions by the Secretary's office to prevent undue influence on election integrity. “For that reason, the Secretary’s instructions also include a process that will ensure these ballots are not opened or counted unless there is evidence they were cast by an eligible Oregon voter,” the Secretary’s office detailed in the Oregon Secretary of State website. Ballots associated with these cases will be flagged and, if returned, removed from the vote tally unless eligibility is confirmed.
