Lawmakers unveil bill to audit voter rolls, block non-citizen voting

REPUBLICANS TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO SAFEGUARD OREGON’S ELECTION SYSTEM
By Oregon House Republican Office,

SALEM, Ore. – In response to the news that noncitizens in Oregon received ballots and voted in Oregon’s 2022 election, House Republicans Ed Diehl (R-Stayton), E. Werner Reschke (R-Klamath Falls), Anna Scharf (R-Amity), and Dwayne Yunker (R-Grants Pass) offered the following statements:

“It’s outrageous that noncitizens in Oregon received ballots and voted in Oregon’s 2022 election,” said Rep. Scharf. “Worse, the legislature still hasn’t gotten straight answers about the extent of the problem and how the Secretary of State plans to ensure this never happens again.”

“We need better safeguards to ensure every legal vote counts and is not diluted or negated,” said Rep. Yunker. “Therefore, House Republicans will be introducing legislation in Oregon that mimics the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE Act passed this summer by the U.S. House of Representatives.”

“House Republicans want to make it as easy as possible for Oregon citizens to vote,” said Rep. Diehl. “Unfortunately, the Democrat majority in Oregon has passed laws such as automatic voter registration via the DMV and now the Oregon Health Authority which leave Oregon’s voting system very vulnerable to fraud and foreign interference.”

“Even one noncitizen voting is one too many,” said Rep. Reschke. “Each noncitizen who votes steals the voice of an Oregon citizen. There are ways to restore confidence in our elections system. The SAVE Act is the first step in ensuring our elections are safe and secure.”

The SAVE Act is intended to prevent noncitizens from voting. The bill would require individuals registering to vote in the state of Oregon provide proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate or a U.S. passport. It would also require the Oregon Secretary of State to perform robust voter roll audits.

There are over 220,000 noncitizens over the age of 18 currently residing in the state of Oregon, according to March 2024 Current Population Survey data.