Molly Woon, Oregon’s recently resigned Elections Director, leaves her post amid broader concerns over voter system integrity.
According to the Federalist, Molly Woon's forthcoming termination by incoming Secretary of State Democrat Tobias Read propelled her resignation, following a series of controversies notably including hundreds of noncitizens found registered to vote.
Molly Woon vacated her role effective January 14, 2025, informed by an expectation that she would be ousted by Tobias Read, who secured election victory in November. Tobias Read is set to succeed the current Secretary of State, LaVonne Griffin-Valade.
Earlier in the week, Woon had alerted LaVonne Griffin-Valade about her decision to resign when reports of her impending removal surfaced.
Woon’s exit was followed by the resignation of several senior officials within the state's election office. Among them were Deputy Secretary of State Cheryl Myers, Chief of Staff Ben Morris, Legislative Director Kathy Wai, and Audits Director Kip Memmott.
The departure of these key figures raises additional scrutiny on the electoral office practices during a period of noted administrative turbulence. Molly Woon was appointed as the Elections Director in January 2023, transitioning from her role as the deputy director of the Democrat Party of Oregon, which she held from 2018 to 2020.
Her tenure was punctuated by controversy, including her refusal to step aside from an inquiry into significant political donations made by a fraudulent cryptocurrency company executive to the Democrat Party in 2022.
This controversy unfolded alongside revelations brought forth by audits that identified over 1,600 potentially ineligible voters discovered on Oregon voter rolls. These audits were initiated after more than 300 noncitizens were found registered to vote in 2021.
The registration deficiencies primarily stem from the "motor voter" system, processed by the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles. Between June 2021 and October 2024, the DMV registered over 54,600 voters listed as "unknown citizenship."
In a promotional video on Oregon's voter registration system, Molly Woon explained, "The first option on the card is ‘Do Nothing’ — just do nothing, and you’ll become automatically registered to vote." Also noted in the video was Molly Woon's concern for voter access, stating, "To me, it is really unfortunate if someone is prevented from getting a ballot for any reason whatsoever."
In her resignation letter, Molly Woon remarked, "In lieu of removal by the incoming administration, I submit my resignation from the position of Elections Director at the Secretary of State."
This resignation and subsequent controversy shed light on the broader implications of automatic voter registration reforms and their administration.
The Institute for Responsive Government was initially pivotal in uncovering the discrepancies related to noncitizen voters. Their investigation exposed gaps within the "motor voter" system, which has since become a focal point in debates about electoral reform in Oregon.
Molly Woon's departure signifies a turbulent period for Oregon's electoral administration, amidst ongoing debates around voter registration integrity and the implementation of the motor voter system. With several key office resignations and unfolding discussions on voter eligibility, the state faces critical evaluation and potential reforms in its electoral processes.
