False rumors about Donald Trump's absence from Oregon's voters' pamphlet spark a flood of calls, forcing officials to take drastic measures.
According to NewsNation, the Oregon Elections Division has shut down its phone lines due to an overwhelming influx of out-of-state callers responding to misinformation regarding former President Donald Trump's exclusion from the state's voters' pamphlet.
The decision to close the phone lines came after the office was inundated with calls based on false claims of election interference circulating on social media.
Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade clarified that Trump's absence from the pamphlet was due to the campaign's choice not to submit a statement or pay the required $3,500 fee.
Griffin-Valade expressed concern over the impact of the misinformation, stating:
Oregonians who need assistance will now have to wait because some individuals operating in bad faith are misleading people online. We need to do more as a country to discourage this kind of behavior. Spreading rumors and false claims of election interference does nothing to help Oregonians.
The Secretary of State's office emphasized that this situation is unprecedented, with Laura Kerns, the communications director, confirming that nothing similar has occurred in the Elections Division for at least a decade.
Despite the phone line closure, Oregon voters can still contact the Elections Division through voicemail or email. The office has also notified law enforcement about threatening and abusive calls received by staff members.
The controversy began after the Oregon Secretary of State's office responded to a social media post last week, explaining Trump's absence from the pamphlet. They clarified that the Trump campaign chose not to participate and that it was not an omission by officials.
The Oregon Republican Party addressed the issue on their website in April 2024, stating that the decision not to submit a statement was made by the Trump campaign earlier in the year. Despite multiple reminders from the Secretary of State's office about the deadline and fee, the campaign reportedly did not respond.
The Secretary of State's office reminded the public that harassing or threatening election workers is a crime under Oregon law. They are now working with state and federal law enforcement to identify those responsible for the harassing calls.
Randall Blazak, an expert in extremism and member of Cure PNW, a non-partisan non-profit organization, expressed concern about the seriousness of the recent harassment. He highlighted the vulnerability of election workers, many of whom are volunteers or retirees.
The Oregon Secretary of State's Office expects to have the phone lines operational again by Friday. In the meantime, they continue to address the spread of misinformation and protect their staff from potential threats.
As the 2024 election approaches, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by election officials in combating misinformation and ensuring the integrity of the electoral process. The impact of false narratives on social media platforms continues to pose significant challenges for election administrators across the country.
