SALEM, Ore. – Oregon gubernatorial candidate Nicholas Kristof’s campaign hit a snag Thursday.
Late last year, Kristof announced he was running for governor of Oregon as a Democrat.
Kristof grew up in Oregon and worked as a journalist for the New York Times for nearly four decades. He currently owns property in both Oregon and New York.
On January 6, 2022, Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan announced Kristof did not meet Oregon’s residency requirements to run for governor.
State constitutional rules require a candidate for governor to have been a “resident within the state” for three years before the election.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports Kristof voted in New York in November 2020.
“The rules are the rules and they apply equally to all candidates for office in Oregon. I stand by the determination of the experts in the Oregon Elections Division that Mr. Kristof does not currently meet the Constitutional requirements to run or serve as Oregon Governor,” said Secretary of State Shemia Fagan. “As Oregon’s chief elections official, it is my responsibility to make sure all candidates on the statewide ballot are qualified to serve if elected. The Oregon Elections Division and local election officials use the same standards to determine qualifications for hundreds of candidates in dozens of offices every year. In this instance, the candidate clearly does not meet the constitutional requirement to run or serve as governor of Oregon.”
Oregon law allows a person to challenge a ruling by Oregon’s secretary of state.
“If Mr. Kristof chooses to appeal, the Oregon Elections Division is committed to doing everything possible to allow Oregon courts to decide promptly,” said Deborah Scroggin, Oregon Elections Director. “My office remains focused on ensuring a fair process and meeting our March 17th deadline, after which clerks begin printing ballots. While the primary election is in May, for Oregon’s elections administrators, the work begins much sooner.”
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