County asks voters to prove registration

Oct. 31—The Clatsop County clerk has sent nearly three dozen letters to voters asking for evidence that they still reside — and can vote — in the county after receiving a list from an Astoria woman who has raised doubts about election integrity.

The voters' names were submitted by Virginia Hall, who is involved with local Republicans. The list challenges the voters' eligibility to vote in county elections.

Oregon law allows county clerks, elections officials or any voter to make such challenges if they know or suspect someone is not qualified to vote.

The Astorian sought information about Hall's challenges through the state's public records law. The newspaper reached out to Hall, who declined to comment.

Hall and other local Republicans have challenged the county's election system, claiming in emails and in public meetings that the county's election machinery is uncertified — a claim the county has explained is false — and vulnerable to disruption.

Patty Jo Angelini, a county public affairs officer, said in an email that of the 75 challenges Hall submitted, 41 had been resolved.

Most were either duplicate requests, had different addresses in the county's voter system, or had already been inactivated or canceled. Four voters were dead and the county canceled their ballots. In another four cases, Hall contested the voters' competency. "That issue can only be resolved by the courts," Angelini wrote. "That means their ballot still stands."

The county sent voter registration inquiries to the remaining 34 voters. The letters ask them to confirm their addresses, sign voter attestation/affirmation statements and provide written evidence for the county to consider in determining their residency for voting purposes.

The letters remind voters to update their registration if their name, residence address, mailing address, or political party has changed. The letters ask for responses by Nov. 14. The election is Nov. 8.

One letter went to Drake Radditz, a Warrenton resident. He called the county's inquiry "disturbing," saying he felt that his rights as a voter had been interfered with.

"I had to go and prove to the county that I was a resident, when I've been here, and paying taxes here, and voting here for 12 years at this location," he said.

Under state law, a residence is where "habitation is fixed and to which, when the person is absent, the person intends to return."

Radditz's mother, Karen, is involved with local Republicans and has raised concerns about election integrity. In a letter to The Astorian in October, Karen Radditz was critical of an Associated Press article that appeared in the newspaper quoting Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan on the "big lie" that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from former President Donald Trump.

Karen Radditz wrote that Fagan "is once again pitting Oregonians against each other. Wake up: There is no 'we' or 'them' with regard to election integrity. No matter what your party choice is, we expect clean, untarnished elections. I personally am glad that others are looking into our voting and election process."

Lisa Lamping, the chairwoman of Clatsop County Republicans, has said that the group observed the May election and came away with a list of shortcomings in the county's election process. She said the group met with county staff about their concerns.

"They implemented some of the changes that we requested," Lamping said. However, she felt that other requested changes were disregarded. "I'm not saying that they're not trying, but I think that they need to go above and beyond, just to bring peace of mind to everybody," she said.

Lamping, of Warrenton, was among the protesters outside the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection, which occurred after Trump made false claims at a rally near the White House that the 2020 election was stolen.

Tracie Krevanko, the county clerk, said during a work session in October that her office regularly updates the voter roll.

"We review obituaries, death notices and notices from other states to assist in keeping our records updated," she said. "We follow all state laws and work within the state system that has been provided. We're also continuously looking for ways to improve our processes and security."

The wave of claims that election machines and systems have been, or could be, sabotaged has inundated clerks' offices throughout Oregon and across the nation, largely driven by right-wing political figures. Many are acting on the direction of Trump allies who have spread false claims about the 2020 presidential election.

Clatsop County has received public records requests from individuals looking to relitigate the November 2020 and May elections. Some emails allege the county may have participated in voter fraud and threaten lawsuits.

Commissioner Lianne Thompson told Krevanko at the work session: "I'm starting to wonder if maybe I'm just too optimistic — that, for some people, it would be impossible to allay their concerns, regardless of what you do, or what you ... or any of the rest of us say."

County Manager Don Bohn said, "Our job is really clear, which is to execute a fair and secure and transparent election. In doing that, we certainly hope to embody confidence in others in the system."

Concerns have been raised in many states about the election process, Bohn said, and it is incumbent on state and federal leaders to determine how best to manage those concerns.

"I just hope, over time, there will be a reengagement of the trust and faith in the system, and that's all we can hope for at this point," he said. "But I think, right now, there's going to be skepticism about the election process."

Over the summer, the Gearhart city attorney submitted to the county a list of 42 people who allegedly did not reside in the city but voted in the May election on a $14.5 million firehouse bond. In response, the county sent out 36 inquiry letters and all 36 voters proved their eligibility. Of the remaining six people, three had already replied to a previous voter registration challenge, two had moved and one had died in October 2020. The state is investigating the irregularity involving the dead person.

In Gearhart, where there are a sizable number of part-time residents, the challenges are linked to increasing factionalism in the community over the firehouse and city leadership rather than the national politics around election integrity.