Efforts to curb mail-in voting have found allies in President Donald Trump and political figure Christine Drazan, both expressing clear intentions to restrict this voting method.
As a candidate in the Republican primary for Oregon governor, Drazan has previously held positions in both chambers of the state’s legislature.
Oregon stands among eight states where voting is exclusively conducted by mail, a practice adopted in 2000 following a 1998 referendum in which 70% of voters expressed approval. In the 2024 elections, all ballots in Oregon were submitted through postal services or drop boxes.
During the most recent State of the Union address, Trump called for the adoption of federal voting restrictions through the SAVE Act. This legislation aims to significantly limit mail-in voting and introduce more stringent ballot access requirements.
“All voters must show voter ID,” Trump declared. “All voters must show proof of citizenship in order to vote. And no more crooked mail-in ballots except for illness, disability, military, or travel. None.”
Despite Trump’s persistent claims that mail voting is susceptible to widespread fraud, there is little evidence to support these assertions. A 2020 analysis by the New York Times indicated that states with universal mail voting experience “essentially zero fraud.”
In a move to modify Oregon’s voting system, Drazan sponsored House Bill 3872 (HB 3872) last year. This bill mandates in-person voting on Election Day for most residents and requires photo identification.
A similar bill introduced by Republicans in the Oregon Senate triggered significant public disapproval, leading to a temporary crash of the legislative website due to high traffic from concerned citizens.
Democratic state Sen. James Manning commented on the legislative efforts, suggesting they were primarily intended to align with Trump’s agenda. “Is this an issue looking for a problem?” Manning questioned. “Because I don’t see it here in our state. This is something that’s a national movement to try to make something of nothing.”
Polling data reflects that the preferences of Trump and Drazan may not align with the majority of Oregonians. A 2018 survey by DHM Research indicated that 71% of Oregonians favor voting by mail.
Having previously run unsuccessfully for governor in 2022, Drazan aims to secure the Republican nomination once again, potentially facing incumbent Democratic Governor Tina Kotek in the upcoming general election.
The post Donald Trump and Christine Drazan want to end Oregon’s vote-by-mail system appeared first on American Journal News.
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