Summary
Prompted by an inquiry from an outside entity, the Oregon Driver & Motor Vehicle Services (DMV) Division of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) conducted a review of customer data that went to the Oregon Secretary of State (SoS) Elections Division for registration as part of Oregon Motor Voter Program. DMV’s review of roughly 1.4 million records to date found clerical, technical and policy errors that resulted in more than 1,500 records sent in error to SoS. ODOT is an Executive Branch agency that falls under the authority of the Oregon Governor. The Secretary of State is an independent, constitutional office, which is responsible for overseeing Oregon elections.
On Oct. 7, 2024, Governor Kotek and Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade jointly called for an independent, external audit of the Oregon Motor Voter Program. They directed the Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS) to immediately identify an independent, external third-party vendor to conduct the audit, specifying that the scope of the audit would be determined by the vendor.
On Nov. 7, 2024, DAS executed a contract with an independent, external third-party vendor to conduct the audit of the Oregon Motor Voter Program in compliance with auditing standards. The
Baker Tilly Advisory Group operates nation-wide and has a demonstrated history of work in states of all backgrounds, and experience with voter registration systems. Baker Tilly is also up to date on GAGAS (Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards) external review, which confirms an audit firm is operating in compliance with auditing standards. Baker Tilly received a 'Pass,' which is the highest rating a firm can receive, in their most recent review.
On Nov. 14, 2024, the audit was initiated to conduct an independent, external audit of the Oregon Motor Voter program.
The audit of the Oregon Motor Voter program concluded that processes and internal controls have been established around areas of previously identified errors and are generally effective, although some control gaps and exceptions were noted. Controls are in place to ensure the accuracy of voter registration data; however, one unsupported issuance transaction was identified during audit testing. There is a reliance on legacy citizenship records, resulting in potentially inaccurate or unsupported citizenship designations made prior to the strengthened control environment to persist, potentially leading to inaccurate data being transmitted by the program. The vendor found that the systems and technologies supporting the program are appropriately configured, leverage automation effectively and are adequately secured to protect voter registration data, with opportunities to improve user access management and oversight.
During the audit, key strengths were noted that reflect a commitment to improvement and a proactive approach to program oversight. Program staff consistently exhibit a culture of continuous improvement, often identifying and addressing potential control gaps independently and ahead of audit inquiries. Additionally, the program shows strong legislative awareness, with teams actively monitoring and preparing for changes in state legislation that could impact the Oregon Motor Voter program. Collectively, these strengths underscore the program’s commitment to accountability, transparency and ongoing service enhancement.