Oregon Sec. of State Tobias Read warns of Trump voting attacks before primary

Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read hosted a virtual town‑hall with U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Oregon Association of County Clerks President Dag Robinson and ACLU of Oregon director Sandy Chung to address election‑security concerns ahead of the May 19 primary. Read said the state is resisting “unconstitutional demands” from the Trump administration, citing the dismantling of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, executive orders that would force voters to prove citizenship, and a Justice Department lawsuit seeking voter‑identification data. He warned, “I don’t think it’s a stretch to say we’re in some challenging times when it comes to elections right now.”

Merkley highlighted congressional efforts to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (“SAVE Act”), which would require a birth certificate or passport to register. He noted a Legislative Fiscal Office study showing only 38 improper votes out of 61 million ballots between 2000‑2019, saying it is “more likely for a person to get struck by lightning than for a non‑U.S. citizen to vote in Oregon.” Critics argue the bill would disenfranchise college students, low‑income voters, tribal members and others. The measure cleared the House in February but lacks the 60‑vote supermajority needed in the Senate.

Read reminded voters that mailed ballots must be post‑marked or dropped off by the deadline, urging a last‑minute drop‑off on Tuesday to avoid delays. Oregon’s closed‑primary system means voters can only cast ballots in their registered party.