Oregon’s state elections office has temporarily suspended its phone lines due to a surge of threatening calls from out-of-state individuals spreading misinformation regarding Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who opted not to submit a statement for the state’s Voters’ Pamphlet.
The online version of the Voters’ Pamphlet prominently features a warning that candidates are not obliged to provide statements, emphasizing that only those who do will be listed in the online menu, although all candidates will still appear on the ballot.
A representative from the Secretary of State’s Office indicated that phone lines would remain closed for Thursday, though this decision could change. Voters in Oregon with inquiries can reach out via email at [email protected] or leave a voicemail. They may also contact their local county clerk’s office for assistance.
“Oregonians seeking help will face delays because some individuals acting in bad faith are misleading the public online,” stated Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade. “As a nation, we need to do more to combat this behavior. Spreading false information and rumors about election interference does not benefit Oregonians.”
Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, are included on ballots that began arriving in Oregon voters’ mailboxes this week. They are also listed on page 26 of the Voters’ Pamphlet, marked with an asterisk indicating their lack of a printed statement.
While the Secretary of State’s Office did not disclose the identities of the callers, the absence of Trump’s statement drew the attention of right-wing misinformation sources, such as the X account “Libs of TikTok,” which posted a video flipping through the pamphlet that has been retweeted over 11,000 times. Other social media platforms propagated false claims that Trump and Vance had been “removed from the election website,” labeling it as “election interference” and sharing the Elections Division’s contact number.
The office reported receiving calls that included death threats and abusive language. One voicemail recorded by the office featured multiple threats and a barrage of profanities over a two-minute span.
In response to the rise in harassment, Oregon lawmakers enacted a law in 2022 that criminalizes the harassment of election workers, with potential penalties of up to 364 days in prison and fines reaching $6,250. The office confirmed it is forwarding all threats to law enforcement.
Election officials across Oregon and the nation have experienced escalating harassment since the 2020 election, which Trump and his supporters falsely alleged was fraudulent. In Arizona, a man from Iowa was sentenced to two and a half years in prison this spring for making violent threats against Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman. Additionally, at least three individuals from various states have been indicted for threatening Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, both of whom are Republicans overseeing election processes.