Ore­gon elec­tions direc­tor fired after report­ing problems

Oregon’s elec­tions direc­tor was abrupt­ly fired in a text mes­sage by the sec­re­tary of state after he point­ed out seri­ous issues with the state’s aging and vul­ner­a­ble tech­nol­o­gy for run­ning elections.

Elec­tions Direc­tor Stephen Trout learned in a text mes­sage Thurs­day night — as his depart­ment and coun­ty elec­tions offi­cials were still count­ing votes from the Nov. 3 elec­tion — that he was out.

On Fri­day, Sec­re­tary of State Bev Clarno, a Repub­li­can appoint­ed to the posi­tion by Demo­c­ra­t­ic Gov. Kate Brown, announced to coun­ty clerks and oth­er elec­tions offi­cials in Oregon’s 36 coun­ties that “today is also Steve Trout’s last day with the Agency.”

Elec­tion offi­cials in the state were stunned.

By Andrew Sel­sky - Asso­ci­at­ed Press — Mon­day, Novem­ber 9, 2020

Steve Druck­en­miller, the vet­er­an Linn Coun­ty clerk, said Clarno’s action was “dan­ger­ous and so ignorant.”

“We are still in the elec­tion process right now. We are rec­on­cil­ing, we’re deal­ing with prob­lems right now as far as your sig­na­tures and com­mu­ni­cat­ing with vot­ers who didn’t sign the bal­lots,” Druck­en­miller said. “We’re going to have to do recounts, all of these things. She doesn’t under­stand elections.”

Clarno’s office did not imme­di­ate­ly respond to a request for comment.

Source: wash​ing​ton​times​.com