WYDEN RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT ONLINE VOTING

Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden (D) is calling on his state’s secretary of State to work with him to address threats he said are posed by allowing some residents to vote via “insecure” electronic methods.

“We share a common goal of making it easier for Oregonians serving in the military or otherwise living overseas to vote,” Wyden wrote in a letter Thursday to Oregon Secretary of State Bev Clarno.

“I look forward to working with you to explore ways to do so, including, if appropriate, introducing federal legislation to provide states with additional resources. However, the security and integrity of Oregon’s elections must always come first,” he added.

Oregon is one of 24 states that permit overseas and military voters to return marked ballots over the internet.

Wyden said the methods pose threats to secure elections. He cited concerns laid out by cybersecurity experts in a 2018 National Academy of Sciences Report, which he urged Clarno to share with local officials across the state.