Congresswoman Salinas, Ranking Member Morelle, Secretary of State Read, and County Clerk Burgess Host Discussion on Defending Voting Rights

Washington. D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06) convened a virtual roundtable- featuring U.S. Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Joe Morelle (NY-25), Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read, and Marion County Clerk Bill Burgess - to outline coordinated efforts to protect voting rights and ensure secure, accessible elections ahead of the 2026 midterms.

"President Trump and Congressional Republicans are trying to interfere with our free and fair elections," said Rep. Salinas. "We want Oregonians to know that our elections are safe, secure, accurate, and fair. Across all levels of government, we are working together to fight back against the Trump Administration and protect our elections. Supporting democracy means ensuring every eligible vote is counted. It does not mean making it harder for eligible voters to participate."

"Restricting voters is the goal of this Administration-whether through legislative efforts to change the rules around the upcoming midterm elections or potential executive actions to discourage voting," said Ranking Member Joe Morelle. "With President Trump's alarming comments about taking over the midterm elections, and his proven disregard for the rule of law, we fully expect these efforts to continue throughout the year. House Democrats will not stop calling them out and pushing for legislation like Congresswoman Salinas' Universal Vote by Mail Act, which will be a core aspect of our agenda in the majority next year."

The discussion focused on growing concerns regarding Republicans' efforts to restrict voting access and erode confidence in election systems. The officials warned that Republicans' SAVE America Act would impose significant barriers that would prevent millions of eligible voters from casting ballots, including in universal vote-by-mail states like Oregon.

The officials also highlighted ongoing, multi-level efforts to push back against such threats. For example, Rep. Salinas and Ranking Member Morelle discussed how federal lawmakers are working to block legislation that would restrict voting rights while advancing measures to expand vote-by-mail and ensure Americans have the opportunity to correct ballot errors. At the same time, Oregon officials are pursuing legal action to defend the state's authority over election administration. Together, these measures are aimed at safeguarding a system that is already safe and effective, while making it easier - not harder - for eligible Americans to participate in the democratic process.

Rep. Salinas urged voters concerned about their vote being counted to submit their ballot as early as possible, to double check dropbox locations, make sure their voter registration is up to date, and track their ballot on the Oregon Secretary of State's website.

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