In yet another sweep of its voter registration records, the Oregon DMV has uncovered additional flaws in the state's Motor Voter system. As reported by KOIN, a review of 130,000 transactions has identified 56 more improperly registered voters, who did not provide proof of citizenship during the automated registration process.
These errors come on top of the 1,259 incorrectly registered individuals discovered earlier this year, as per Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB). The problem was magnified with the revelation that about 300 people from the U.S. territory of American Samoa were also misregistered, despite not being U.S. citizens. In light of the initial discrepancies, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek called for a halt to automatic voter registration to allow for a comprehensive examination of the DMV's practices.
To prevent the recurrence of such errors, the DMV is implementing several measures, including monthly reviews of voter registration records, required annual training for staff, and systematic changes aimed at minimizing human errors. According to a statement obtained by KGW, "Oregon DMV is working hard to improve the Oregon Motor Voter system. We have already put in place several changes to our system to reduce the risk of human error and developed and conducted intensive training on how to do the work well and emphasize why it matters so much.” The DMV announced that its most recent review for October after changes were enacted, showed zero errors.
Public concerns remain high as the integrity of voter registration in Oregon continues to face scrutiny. Shanesha, a resident, told KGW, “I definitely would like them to do more investigation, just because anything with the DMV ... that's pretty big.” Governor Kotek's ordered review is underway, with the promise of transparency and corrective action echoed by the DMV through a commitment to refined practices ahead of future elections.