Oregon removes over 1,200 voters due to registration errors related to citizenship proof

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Oregon has removed more than 1,200 voters from its voter rolls after discovering that they were registered without providing proof of U.S. citizenship, following errors made by the state’s motor vehicles department. The Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services Division (DMV) and the Oregon Secretary of State's office identified 1,259 individuals affected by the issue, caused by incorrect data transmission between the DMV and the Elections Division.

Of the total registrations affected, 953 were removed on Monday, while 306 were inactivated earlier this month. Nine ineligible voters were found to have cast ballots. Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade assured the public that this issue will not impact the 2024 General Election, emphasizing that noncitizen voting remains "exceedingly rare" in Oregon and across the country.

The error stemmed from Oregon’s automatic voter registration system, which incorrectly processed foreign birth certificates and passports as U.S. documentation. The DMV has since implemented new procedures to prevent such errors, including improved verification of citizenship documents and changes to its data entry system.

The Secretary of State’s office has notified the 1,259 voters whose registrations were impacted, advising them they can re-register if eligible by October 15.