Oregon

Oregon strikes hundreds from voter rolls

Published

1 year ago

October 8, 2024

Oregon strikes hundreds from voter rolls

Oregon has removed the names of 302 more people from its voter rolls amid concerns about their citizenship, raising further questions about the integrity of its registration process.

Officials announced on Monday that the residents had failed to provide proof of citizenship at the time of their registration.

The move is part of an ongoing effort to address improper voter registration linked to clerical errors at the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

It brings the total number of erroneous registrations to 1,561.

The root of the issue can be traced back to legislation passed in 2019 that permits some non-citizens to obtain driver’s licenses in Oregon.

An election worker examines a ballot at the Clackamas County Elections office May 19, 2022, Oregon City, Oregon. State officials said they had removed another 302 people from the state’s voter rolls after determining they…

Gillian Flaccus/AP, file

Compounding this, the state’s “Motor Voter” law, enacted in 2016, automatically registers most individuals to vote when they apply for a new license or ID, regardless of their citizenship status.

DMV Administrator Amy Joyce said: “We believed we had a complete understanding of the records at risk of error. Unfortunately, new information has revealed that our confidence was misplaced, and we sincerely apologize for this oversight. We are committed to transparency and accountability as we move forward.”

In response to these issues, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has ordered a pause on automatic voter registration while also calling for an independent audit of the Motor Voter system.

The request was echoed by Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade.

“The first step in restoring the public’s trust in Oregon Motor Voter is a transparent review by a neutral third party,” Griffin-Valade said, adding that she was confident that the errors would not affect the upcoming November election.

The headquarters of Oregon’s Driver and Motor Vehicles Division, June 15, 2017, in Salem, Oregon. The state passed a law in 2019 allowing some residents who aren’t citizens to obtain driver’s licenses.

Andrew Selsky/AP, file

As part of the corrective measures, Griffin-Valade has instructed her office to fill a newly created oversight position within the Motor Voter division and to establish a rigorous process for conducting regular data checks with the DMV.

Of the 302 newly identified cases, 178 involved individuals from American Samoa being misclassified as U.S. citizens, despite the fact that they are U.S. nationals and do not possess the same voting rights.

The remaining cases stem from previously identified clerical errors exacerbated by a newly discovered software issue.

The secretary of state’s office is investigating whether any of the 302 individuals participated in previous elections.

In its report, the DMV outlined a series of corrective actions, including updates to its computer systems, daily quality checks, and enhanced staff training.

Among the previously flagged 1,259 registrations, it was determined that 10 individuals had voted, with at least five confirmed as citizens at the time of voting—indicating that these instances represent a minimal fraction of Oregon’s 3 million registered voters.

This article contains additional reporting from The Associated Press

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Oregon

Johan Munch, Matija Samar lead Oregon State over San Diego 78-76 in OT

Published

49 minutes ago

February 1, 2026

Press Room

Johan Munch, Matija Samar lead Oregon State over San Diego 78-76 in OT

SAN DIEGO — Johan Munch scored 15 points and Matija Samar added six in the overtime as Oregon State knocked off San Diego 78-76 on Saturday.

Isaiah Sy made two free throws, Samar followed with a 3-pointer and the Beavers never trailed in OT.

Munch added nine rebounds for the Beavers (12-12, 5-6 West Coast Conference). Josiah Lake totaled 12 points, eight assists, five rebounds and four steals. Dez White scored 12 on 4-for-7 shooting from 3-point range. Sy pitched in with nine points, six rebounds and five assists.

The Toreros (10-14, 4-7) were led by Adrian McIntyre with 21 points, six rebounds and six assists. Assane Diop added 13 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Tim Moore Jr. finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and five blocks.

Sy scored six points in the first half for Oregon State, who led 30-25 at the break. Lake scored 12 second-half points and hit the game-tying 3-pointer with 14 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime tied at 60-all.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Oregon

College football experts pick Oregon Ducks as 2026 national champions

Published

13 hours ago

January 31, 2026

Press Room

College football experts pick Oregon Ducks as 2026 national champions

The Oregon Ducks have accomplished just about everything possible for a college football team in the last few seasons. They’ve had an undefeated regular season, notched back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances and won a ton of bowl games.

The Ducks have been transformed into a perennial contender, and the only thing still on their agenda is the elusive national championship victory. They’ve gotten closer to reaching that goal in each of Dan Lanning’s first four seasons as head coach, so it feels like just a matter of time.

The college football staff of The Athletic were polled on a wide range of predictions about next season, and the most eye-popping result was next season’s national championship game winner, with Oregon receiving the most votes. Nine people out of 28 votes for them, which may not seem too convincing, but the next closest team was the Notre Dame Fighting Irish with five votes.

The Ducks had their season ended by the Indiana Hoosiers, who went on to win the national championship. However, star quarterback Fernando Mendoza declared for the NFL Draft after the historic victory, so that could be enough to put Oregon in the driver’s seat.

Their own quarterback, Dante Moore, will be back in Eugene next year with another season of experience and a full arsenal of weapons around him to make another run at glory. It feels like this team will always be in contention under Lanning, but this year will be one of the best chances they ever have to finally bring home the national title.

Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.

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Oregon

Oregon Kids Credit issued to some taxpayers in error: What to know

Published

1 day ago

January 31, 2026

Press Room

Oregon Kids Credit issued to some taxpayers in error: What to know

Some Oregonians who filed their taxes early may receive less than they thought as the Oregon Department of Revenue announced approximately 500 taxpayers will have their refund adjusted after receiving the state’s Kids Credit in error.

The agency provided incorrect instructions for tax forms and with tax preparation software partners at the start of the 2026 tax season regarding how to claim the Oregon Kids Credit.

“As a result, a small number of taxpayers who are not eligible for the Oregon Kids Credit calculated and claimed the Oregon Kids Credit on their returns,” the Department of Revenue said in a release. “An additional small number of taxpayers who are eligible to claim the Oregon Kids Credit claimed too large of a credit.”

Here’s what to know about the error and how it’s being corrected.

How many 2025 tax returns were impacted by the error?

Since the 2026 tax season opened on Jan. 26, the agency said it has processed about 135,000 returns, and the new federal deductions impacted fewer than 500 of those returns, according to the agency.

While the department expects that number to grow as the correction is updated across all filing systems, the agency anticipates that the total number of affected returns will remain low.

“Our IT team will work through the weekend to update our systems to make sure taxpayers don’t face delays because of this error,” DOR Chief Information Officer Jon Dolan said. “We expect Direct File Oregon to be accurately filing returns for Oregon Kids’ Credit claimants by early next week.”

The department recommends that taxpayers who plan to try to claim the Oregon Kids Credit wait to file until Direct File Oregon, or the tax filing software they use, has been fully updated.

What happens to Oregonians who may have received the tax credit in error?

The Department of Revenue is automatically adjusting any returns affected by the error.

Any Oregon taxpayer who may have received the Kids Credit or too large of a credit as a result of the error does not need to take any action. They will be notified of the adjustment by mail, as well as through their Revenue Online account.

“We will make the correction to their return, but we also want to manage taxpayers’ expectations,” Department of Revenue Director David Gerstenfeld said. “Unfortunately, their refund may be less than they anticipated. We know that a difference of even $100 can be very impactful for low-income families with young children, and we sincerely apologize for the error.”

How can Oregonians correctly claim the Oregon Kids’ Credit?

Oregon taxpayers claiming the Oregon Kids Credit are now offered a new form of assistance by the Oregon Department of Revenue to ensure they claim the correct credit amount when they electronically file their tax year 2025 return.

What is the Oregon Kids’ Credit?

The Oregon Kids Credit is a refundable credit for low-income families with young dependent children.

The full credit offers $1,050 per child, up to five children, on a modified adjusted gross income of $26,550 or less. A partial credit is also available for families with a modified adjusted gross income of up to $31,550.

What was the error?

To qualify for the Kids Credit, Oregonians must meet the requirements for their modified adjusted gross income.

The error stemmed from how new federal deductions created under House Resolution 1, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill, for overtime pay, tips, and new car loan interest are calculated when determining Oregon taxpayers’ modified adjusted gross income.

According to the agency, the federal legislation made major changes to tax law that were quickly incorporated into Department of Revenue forms, instructions and processes. Incorrect instructions were provided on forms for the federal deductions, creating an error in calculating the modified adjusted gross income.

Where can Oregonians go if they have questions about the Kids Credit?

For any questions regarding the Oregon Kids’ Credit, Oregonians can visit the department’s website at www.oregon.gov/dor/programs/individuals/Pages/okc-faq.aspx.

Taxpayers can also call 503-947-0350 or email questions.dor@dor.oregon.gov.

Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval can be reached at GSandoval@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @GinnieSandoval.

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