The Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has reportedly been allowing voter registrations from individuals with "unknown citizenship" status. Documents indicate that over 54,600 voter registrations have been processed under these conditions between June 2021 and October 2024. The DMV only requires individuals to self-attest their eligibility without providing proof of citizenship unless they demonstrate otherwise. Following the discovery of registrations for over 1,500 potential noncitizens, Governor Tina Kotek paused the state’s "motor voter" program for investigation.
Republican state Rep. Ed Diehl stated that the current process allows anyone who does not prove their non-citizen status to register to vote simply by claiming they are citizens. Initially, the motor voter program required some documentation, but the recent method relies mainly on self-certification. The DMV has shifted to an "opt-in voter registration" for those whose identity documents do not clearly show non-citizen status. This revised process invites customers to register if they wish, provided they certify that they are U. S. citizens.
Kevin Glenn, communications director for the Oregon Department of Transportation, explained that while the traditional process required proof of citizenship, the procedure is now paused for an external audit. Consequently, DMV employees are instructed to ask individuals if they would like to register to vote during services, emphasizing that this includes those who present documents that do not definitively prove their citizenship status. The registration form accepts various forms of identification, such as Social Security numbers, which could potentially be issued to noncitizens, leading to concerns about individuals falsely attesting to their eligibility.
While there are severe penalties for lying on the registration form, enforcement remains ambiguous. The DMV's operations follow legislative changes, particularly HB 2015, which eliminated the requirement to prove legal status for obtaining a driver's license. Critics, including Republican state Sen. Dennis Linthicum, argue that the limited scope of Kotek's investigation leaves many potential issues unaddressed, suggesting that a comprehensive examination of the voter rolls over multiple years is necessary to ensure integrity.
The DMV's actions have raised alarms, as several community members, including former Bend Mayor Jeff Eager, express concerns that this situation may be just “the tip of the iceberg. ” An official response from the secretary of state's office attributed the problem to clerical errors and stated that they would implement oversight measures for better data verification in the future. Overall, the handling of voter registrations in Oregon reflects significant ongoing debate regarding election integrity and the implications of allowing self-certification in voting eligibility.
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