Secretary of State Warns of Robocalls and Voter Supression

Hundreds of Oregonians received automated phone calls raising the possibility that they are not registered to vote has prompted the Oregon Secretary of State to issue a warning. Many of the calls seem to have come from the state Republican Party though there is a dispute about what the calls said and what party officials say they were supposed to say.

“I respect the work of every political party and campaign doing outreach to Oregonians to help ensure they exercise their right to vote," said Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins. "Sometimes, however, this outreach includes automated phone calls, and we have heard from many, many Oregonians confused and unhappy about the calls they received this week.

"Robocalls are particularly prone to create confusion, since questions about the message can’t be directed to the caller. Even the most carefully constructed message can be misunderstood, as was the case for many voters who contacted elections officials in recent days."

The calls had a different script for each county, but generally went like this:

“A review of voter registration records in Multnomah County indicate that your voter registration may be marked inactive. This could be the result of a change in address recently or the Motor Voter law that was enacted this year. This means you may not have received your ballot in the mail for next Tuesday’s election.”

Atkins said that while the state encourages all political parties to do voter outreach, they want them to be careful not to do anything that could be interpreted to discouraging people from voting.

“As we continue looking into this matter, we urge all campaigns to use the most up-to-date information possible when contacting Oregonians," said Atkins. "The Elections Division is available to work with campaigns and parties from across the spectrum to make sure they have the most accurate information available.

“No matter what your affiliation, I hope every eligible Oregonian takes advantage of their right to vote this election. Your vote is your voice, and every vote matters.”

Atkins asked Oregonians to remember these facts:

• If you have received your ballot, you are registered to vote.
• If your ballot is received at a county elections office or official ballot drop box by 8 p.m. Tuesday, it will be counted.
• If you have cast your ballot already, either by mail or at a drop box, your vote will be counted.
• If you are an inactive registered voter, you must reactivate your registration before 8 p.m. on Election Night to receive your ballot.
• Some calls erroneously state that Oregon Motor Voter may cause people to become inactive. In fact, Oregon Motor Voter uses address updates to reactivate registered voters. To learn more about Oregon Motor Voter, please visit http://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Documents/oregon-motor-voter-registration-manual-final.pdf.

Check oregonvotes.gov/myvote if you have not yet received a ballot to see if your registration is inactive. If so, contact your county clerk by Election Day to get reactivated and receive your ballot.

Photo via ShutterStock