Oregon’s Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade is under pressure after it was revealed that her office registered 1,259 potential noncitizens to vote. Despite this significant number, Griffin-Valade maintains that noncitizen voting is “exceedingly rare” in Oregon.
The issue was brought to light earlier this month when over 300 noncitizens were found to be registered through Oregon’s “motor voter” system, which automatically registers residents when they apply for or renew their driver’s licenses. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that nearly four times as many — 1,259 — noncitizens had been erroneously added to the voter rolls.
Nine individuals had already voted, despite the fact that it is illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections. The errors stemmed from the DMV, where workers mistakenly processed foreign documents as U.S. identification, leading to the automatic registration of noncitizens.
Griffin-Valade’s office has since deactivated these registrations, ensuring that none of the individuals involved will receive ballots for the upcoming 2024 election. However, those mistakenly registered will have the opportunity to reapply if they provide the correct documentation proving their citizenship.
Critics argue that this incident undermines the claim that noncitizen voting is rare, pointing to the need for greater oversight and more rigorous controls in the voter registration process.
