Secretary of State Adopts Final Administrative Rules for Oregon Motor Voter Program

Today, the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office adopted updated, final administrative rules for the Oregon Motor Voter (OMV) program, the state’s automatic voter registration system administered through the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Driver and Motor Vehicle Services Division (DMV).

“Our goal with these rules is to deliver an accurate, secure voter registration system that is worthy of Oregonians’ trust, and I’m proud of the work that’s been done to get us here,” said Secretary of State Tobias Read. “I want to thank our Rules Advisory Committee and all the members of the public who took the time to provide feedback throughout this process. We built a stronger voter registration system together.”

“When the data error was discovered, I directed the DMV to take immediate, urgent action to ensure the integrity of the Oregon Motor Voter program,” Governor Tina Kotek said. “These new rules, paired with the reforms adopted by DMV, will ensure Oregonians can rely on a secure voter registration system.”

Most of the rules will go into effect on January 1, 2027, with the exception of those related to the Electronic DMV Voter Registration process, which are effective immediately.

Last year, the Secretary of State’s Office convened a Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) to review and make revisions to the OMV program’s administrative rules following recommendations from an independent audit that sought to identify any persistent risks in the system. Draft rules were released for public comment, and all feedback was carefully reviewed. Amendments were made to reflect the input provided, and the final rules are now ready to be implemented.

These updated administrative rules, the independent audit, and many other steps taken by both the Secretary of State’s Office and DMV are part of the state’s comprehensive response to errors in the OMV system identified in 2024.