Website change at SOS raises questions about Elections Division

by Northwest Spotlight

UPDATE: Steve Trout penned a scathing memo and resigned shortly thereafter.

A recent update to the website of Oregon Secretary of State Bev Clarno has raised questions about a possible director change that appears to be unannounced at this time.

As recently as November 2nd, the Secretary of State website showed the longtime elections director Stephen Trout. The current version of that webpage has no elections director listed. It’s unclear if Trout has been let go, reassigned, has resigned, or if there is some other explanation.

Trout has spent many years running the elections division for secretaries of both political parties. It’s notable that he may have left that position in the middle of an uncertified election

We will update this story as new information becomes available.