The Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services Division (DMV) recently admitted that it mistakingly registered at least 306 non-citizens to vote in U.S. elections.
According to Fox News, the Oregon DMV explained that the wrongful voter registration of non-citizens was caused by a program that automatically registered any residents who obtained a state identification or a driver’s license. The outlet noted the issue has occurred since 2021 and that Oregon officials anticipate finding additional errors with voter registration prior to the November election.
Kevin Glenn, an Oregon Department of Transportation spokesperson, described the problem as “basically a data entry issue.” Glenn added that when a DMV employee enters information regarding an individual applying for a state identification or a driver’s license, the employee can mistakingly mark that an individual has a U.S. passport or birth certificate.
In a Friday press release, Oregon officials claimed that of the 306 non-citizens identified by the DMV, only two have voted in an election since 2021.
Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade, a Democrat, announced that the individuals “will be notified by mail that they will not receive a ballot unless they demonstrate that they are eligible to vote.”
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In the press release, Griffin-Valade’s office said that while the voter registration “error” was “regrettable,” the secretary of state and Oregon’s Elections Division remain committed to automatic voter registration and the “many benefits” that come from the program.
“Automatic voter registration has been hugely beneficial for thousands of eligible Oregon voters to ensure access to our democracy,” Griffin-Valade stated. “I’m confident the DMV is rectifying this error and improving their process, so it doesn’t happen again.”
In a statement obtained by Fox News, Gov. Tina Kotek (D-Oreg.) claimed that the voter registration issue will “not impact” the 2024 presidential election.
“The error in data entry which may have affected the voter eligibility of some Oregonian’s voter registration was discovered because the Oregon DMV and the secretary of state were doing their due diligence ahead of the 2024 election,” Kotek said. “My office will continue to closely monitor the situation. This situation will not impact the 2024 election in any way.”
