The mistake occurred in part because Oregon has allowed noncitizens to obtain driver’s licenses since 2019, and the state’s Driver and Motor Vehicle Services automatically registers most people to vote when they obtain a license or ID. An initial analysis by the Oregon Department of Transportation, which oversees the DMV, found that 306 noncitizens were registered to vote in what officials described as a “data entry issue” that happened when people applied for driver's licenses. Of those, two voted in elections since 2021.
State and federal laws prohibit noncitizens from voting in national and local elections. Noncitizens include people who are in the country with legal status — such as green-card holders and temporary workers — and those without legal status.
In a letter emailed to Kotek's office on Monday, Oregon Senate Republican Minority Leader Daniel Bonham asked her to consider implementing measures similar to those outlined in an executive order issued last month by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. The Republican governor directed state officials to certify the accuracy of voter lists by removing those who moved, died, or were unable to verify their U.S. citizenship.
“These measures are vital to enhancing public trust in the electoral process and ensuring that elections are fair, transparent, and secure,” Bonham wrote.
Kotek's office did not immediately provide a comment.
The DMV is checking for additional errors and will likely find more cases of registering noncitizens to vote, spokesperson Chris Crabb said.
