Election Worker Safety, Voter Privacy Bill Passes Oregon Senate

SALEM, Ore - Yesterday, the Oregon Senate passed Senate Bill 166, which will further protect voters, election workers, and the integrity of Oregon’s electoral process. In response to rising threats against election officials, the bill defends voters’ right to privacy, increases penalties for harassment of election workers, and sets new guidelines for annual county elections security plans.

“Election workers are essential defenders of our democracy. We have a duty to keep them safe,” said Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber (D - Beaverton & SW Portland), who carried the legislation on the floor. “Harassment of election workers not only puts them in danger, it puts all of us in danger because it undermines trust in our democratic process. Oregonians’ rights, freedoms, and safety depend on the integrity of our elections, and this bill is an important response to rising threats and strengthen our democracy.”

SB 166 explicitly guarantees elector’s right to vote by secret ballot and reclassifies harassment against election workers  from Class A misdemeanor to Class C felony. It also establishes that the crime of aggravated harassment includes harassment against election workers and punishes crimes of harassment or aggravated harassment against election workers by maximum of five years' imprisonment, $125,000 fine, or both. It also alters requirements for annual county elections security plans.

Protecting election workers and Oregon’s elections are a key priority in Senate Democrats’ 2023 Oregon Works Agenda. 

SB 166 now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.