Oregon election officials have removed more than 1,200 people from the state's voter rolls after discovering a registration error linked to proof of U.S. citizenship.

The mistake, which allowed noncitizens to be incorrectly registered to vote, was traced back to a processing issue at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), but steps are being taken to prevent similar mistakes in future elections, as Newsmax reports.

The issue stems from a dropdown menu in the DMV system, whereby employees could mistakenly select U.S. citizenship documents for noncitizens who were presenting foreign IDs.

Oregon has allowed noncitizens to obtain driver’s licenses since 2019, and most people obtaining licenses are automatically registered to vote through the DMV. However, some noncitizens were registered in error because of this system flaw.

State Officials Respond to Citizenship Error

According to Oregon's secretary of state's office, letters were sent to the 1,259 individuals whose registrations were deactivated, informing them they would need to re-register with proof of citizenship before voting in the upcoming 2024 election.

County clerks are now investigating whether nine of those voters cast ballots in previous elections without proper citizenship documentation.

Molly Woon, Oregon's elections director, explained that county clerks are working to confirm if those nine individuals were indeed ineligible or if they simply failed to provide the necessary documentation at the time of registration.

"County clerks are working to confirm whether those people were indeed ineligible when they cast their ballots, or just hadn't provided the required documentation when they were registered to vote," Woon said.

Steps Taken to Prevent Future Mistakes

The DMV has since adjusted its system to avoid repeating these errors. The dropdown menu has been reordered alphabetically, and additional prompts now ask for U.S. passport verification.

Furthermore, when a birth certificate is used as proof of citizenship, more specific details are required. Office managers at the DMV are also conducting daily quality checks to ensure the accuracy of all documentation.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has called for further measures to prevent future voter registration errors. She emphasized the importance of updated staff training at the DMV, stronger data quality control, and a comprehensive report on the current issue.

Republicans Request Public Hearing

Republican lawmakers in Oregon have expressed concerns about the integrity of the voter rolls following the discovery of the registration errors. They have requested a public hearing to address these concerns and to ensure voter list accuracy ahead of the 2024 elections. The issue has sparked a broader debate about voter registration systems and the potential for noncitizens to be mistakenly registered to vote.

Despite these concerns, Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade has reassured the public that the upcoming November election will not be impacted by the registration errors. "The election in November will not be affected by this error in any way," she stated, emphasizing that the issue is being resolved well in advance of any future elections.

Voter Registration Deadline Approaches

With the voter registration deadline of Oct. 15 fast approaching, state officials are urging those affected by the error to re-register with the proper documentation. Those removed from the rolls will not be able to vote in the 2024 election unless they provide proof of citizenship before the deadline.

The incident in Oregon is not the first time concerns have been raised about voter registration processes. Other states, including Arizona, have faced similar issues. In Arizona, nearly 98,000 voters whose citizenship documents were not confirmed were still allowed to vote in state and local elections. In August 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an attempt by Republicans to block more than 41,000 Arizona voters from casting ballots but upheld parts of the state's law requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration.

Efforts to Secure Election Integrity

The Oregon situation has drawn attention to the ongoing challenges states face in maintaining the integrity of voter registration systems while ensuring that all eligible voters are properly registered. As more states move toward automatic voter registration, particularly through DMV systems, errors like the one in Oregon could potentially become more frequent unless precautions are taken.

Kotek has stressed the importance of making sure all voters are eligible under the law. She has also emphasized the need for stronger safeguards to prevent the DMV from accidentally registering noncitizens. Her call for updated staff training and more rigorous document verification procedures is aimed at ensuring that similar mistakes do not happen again.

Restoring Public Trust in Voter Registration

The recent discovery has also sparked broader discussions about public trust in voter registration systems. While Oregon has a history of progressive voting laws, including being the first state to implement automatic voter registration, the recent errors may lead to closer scrutiny of how states handle automatic voter registration through their DMVs.

As election day approaches, state officials remain confident that the issue has been contained and that the individuals affected will have the opportunity to rectify their status before the 2024 election. However, the situation serves as a reminder that even automated systems require careful oversight to ensure the accuracy and fairness of the electoral process.