Minimal voter fraud discovered in Oregon

Salem, Ore.- Oregon Secretary of State Dennis Richardson announced Friday he is referring voter fraud cases for criminal prosecution.

According to an article in Richardson’s newsletter, the Secretary of State’s office is using new technology to improve election integrity. Through what Richardson calls “complex data matching techniques,” the Elections Division has identified 46 voters in the Nov. 8, 2016 election who appear to have cast ballots in both Oregon and another state. The office also identified ballots submitted under the names of six deceased Oregonians and two registered Oregon voters who each cast two ballots in state.

Although there is no evidence that these fraudulent ballots impacted the outcome of any race, Richardson said in his newsletter “no level of voter fraud is acceptable.”

The suspicious ballots amount to one out of every 38,000 ballots cast in Oregon, or just .002 percent.

The cases will now be turned over to the Attorney General’s office for criminal investigation and prosecution. Intentionally voting twice is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and up to a $125,000 fine.

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