Oregon

The error, first reported by Willamette Week, resulted from DMV staff erroneously marking noncitizens who obtained driver’s licenses as citizens, such as by miscategorizing foreign birth certificates as U.S. birth certificates and foreign passports as U.S. passports.

Since January 2016, Oregon has automatically registered citizens to vote when they obtain or renew driver’s licenses, permits or nonoperating IDs. A 2019 state law, meanwhile, eliminated a requirement that applicants prove they’re citizens or legal residents when obtaining a driver’s license.

People applying for driver’s licenses need to bring proof of their identity – like a birth certificate, passport, naturalization documents or visa – as well as proof of an Oregon address, such as a utility bill or rental agreement. Only applicants who provide documents that prove citizenship, like a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport or certificate of naturalization, are supposed to be registered to vote.