Trump and Drazan Push to End Oregon’s Mail-In Voting System

Trump and Drazan Advocate for Changes in Oregon’s Vote-by-Mail System

Former President Donald Trump and Oregon Republican gubernatorial candidate Christine Drazan share a common goal: reducing the prevalence of mail-in voting.

Drazan, who has experience in both chambers of the Oregon state legislature, is currently engaged in the Republican primary race for governor.

Oregon, a pioneer in vote-by-mail systems, is one of eight states where all ballots are cast through mail. In the 2024 elections, every vote in the state was submitted via postal service or drop box, following the state’s transition to this system in 2000 after a 1998 referendum showed 70% voter approval.

In a recent State of the Union address, Trump called for federal voting restrictions under the SAVE Act, advocating for the elimination of most mail-in voting methods and the implementation of stricter ballot access requirements nationwide.

“All voters must show voter ID,” Trump stated. “All voters must show proof of citizenship in order to vote. And no more crooked mail-in ballots except for illness, disability, military, or travel. None.”

Despite Trump’s assertions that mail voting leads to widespread election fraud, evidence to support these claims is scant. A 2020 analysis by The New York Times highlighted that states with universal vote-by-mail practices experience “essentially zero fraud.”

Last year, Drazan introduced House Bill 3872 (HB 3872), which proposes that most Oregonians vote in person on Election Day and present a photo ID.

The Oregon Senate Republicans put forth a companion bill identical to HB 3872. The bill sparked such significant controversy that the Oregon legislative website experienced technical difficulties due to a surge in public feedback.

According to Democratic state Sen. James Manning, both bills appear to be efforts to align with Trump’s agenda. Manning questioned, “Is this an issue looking for a problem? Because I don’t see it here in our state. This is something that’s a national movement to try to make something of nothing.”

Polling indicates a disconnect between Trump and Drazan’s positions and the preferences of Oregon’s residents. A 2018 poll by DHM Research revealed that 71% of Oregonians favor voting by mail.

Previously, Drazan ran for governor in 2022 but was not successful. Should she secure the Republican nomination this time, she will contend with the sitting Democratic Governor Tina Kotek in the upcoming general election.