Voter Fraud Convictions in Oregon, 2016-2020
Return to the Voter Fraud Convictions Summary Chart
| A. Conviction Details | B. Background | C. Potential Election Impact | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Election Year: 2020 Name: Josiah Samuel Bridges Party Affiliation: Not Found[1]According to the website of Multnomah County, Oregon, “there are two major political parties and six minor political parties in Oregon. You can choose to be a member of a party, or you can … Continue reading Offense and Sentencing: Josiah Samuel Bridges pleaded guilty on 3/11/2022 to one felony count of illegal selling of election material in relation to an offense committed in the run up to the 2020 presidential election; one further felony count of computer crime was dismissed as part of a plea agreement.[2]Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, “State of Oregon v. Josiah Samuel Bridges , Case Number: 20CR58408,” webportal.courts.oregon.gov, accessed on June 3, 2022 Bridges was sentenced on same day to 36 months of supervised probation and 120 hours of community service.[3]Associated Press, “Oregon Man Who Tried to Sell Ballot Pleads Guilty,” columbian.com, March 11, 2022 | “A Portland man got probation and a talking-to from a judge after pleading guilty to trying to sell his 2020 presidential election ballot, along with some shoes, on a mobile marketplace. Josiah Bridges, 23, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of illegal sale of election material … Bridges had listed the items for sale that fall on OfferUp. He told investigators he did it to pay his rent and because he didn’t like either presidential candidate,… Bridges said he didn’t know it was illegal to sell a ballot.”[4]Associated Press, “Oregon Man Who Tried to Sell Ballot Pleads Guilty,” columbian.com, March 11, 2022 Case Notes: State of Oregon v. Josiah Samuel Bridges Case Number: 20CR58408 Court Records | Type of Election: Attempted Sale of a Ballot Party Affiliation: Not Found Theoretical Election Effect: No effect on Congressional or Presidential elections |
| 2. | Election Year: 2016 Name: Elizabeth Ann Clark, also known as Betty Clark Party Affiliation: Not Found[5]According to the website of Multnomah County, Oregon, “there are two major political parties and six minor political parties in Oregon. You can choose to be a member of a party, or you can … Continue reading Offense and Sentencing: Betty Clark pleaded guilty in March 2019 to a violation charge of voting when not entitled in relation to an offense committed during the 2016 general election.[6]Chris Lehman, “10 Oregon Voters Plead Guilty to Voter Fraud in 2016 Presidential Election,” oregonlive.com, April 29, 2019 As part of a plea agreement, Clark’s charge was downgraded from a felony offense of voting in two states.[7]Chris Lehman, “10 Oregon Voters Plead Guilty to Voter Fraud in 2016 Presidential Election,” oregonlive.com, April 29, 2019 Clark was sentenced to a $440 fine.[8]Chris Lehman, “10 Oregon Voters Plead Guilty to Voter Fraud in 2016 Presidential Election,” oregonlive.com, April 29, 2019 | “Ten people in Oregon have been convicted so far in voter fraud cases stemming from the 2016 election. … [Betty] Clark had been temporarily living in Vancouver, Washington in order to care for her elderly father. While there, she received a ballot in the mail for the upcoming election, filled it out, and returned it. Around that time, her father passed away. Clark and her husband moved back to their rural Baker County home, where there was an Oregon ballot awaiting her. ‘She forgot about the other one,’ said [her attorney] Leuenberger. ‘It was an innocent mistake.'”[9]Chris Lehman, “10 Oregon Voters Plead Guilty to Voter Fraud in 2016 Presidential Election,” oregonlive.com, April 29, 2019 Case Notes: State of Oregon v. Elizabeth Ann Clark Case Number: 19CR15715 Court Records | Type of Election: Presidential Party Affiliation: Not Found Theoretical Election Effect: 1 illegal vote, party unknown |
| 3. | Election Year: 2016 Name: Michael John Cruz Party Affiliation: Not Found[10]According to the website of Multnomah County, Oregon, “there are two major political parties and six minor political parties in Oregon. You can choose to be a member of a party, or you can … Continue reading Offense and Sentencing: Michael John Cruz pleaded guilty on 12/3/2018 to one felony charge of voting or attempting to vote in more than one state[11]Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, State of Oregon v. Michael John Cruz, Case Number: 18CR75585 – Court Records in relation to an offense committed during the 2016 general election.[12]Chris Lehman, “10 Oregon Voters Plead Guilty to Voter Fraud in 2016 Presidential Election,” oregonlive.com, April 29, 2019 Cruz was sentenced on the same day to $1,000 in fees and 40 hours of community service.[13]Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, State of Oregon v. Michael John Cruz, Case Number: 18CR75585 – Court Records | “Ten people in Oregon have been convicted so far in voter fraud cases stemming from the 2016 election. … Most of the convictions involved people who cast a ballot in two different states. … None resulted in jail time. The maximum penalty was $1,000 and 10 [sic][14]It was actually 40 hours of community service – see: Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, State of Oregon v. Michael John Cruz, Case Number: 18CR75585 – Court Records hours of community service for 45-year-old Michael Cruz of Portland.”[15]Chris Lehman, “10 Oregon Voters Plead Guilty to Voter Fraud in 2016 Presidential Election,” oregonlive.com, April 29, 2019 Case Notes: State of Oregon v. Michael John Cruz Case Number: 18CR75585 Court Records | Type of Election: Presidential Party Affiliation: Not Found Theoretical Election Effect: 1 illegal vote, party unknown |
| 4. | Election Year: 2016 Name: Marjory Gale Party Affiliation: Not Found[16]According to the website of Multnomah County, Oregon, “there are two major political parties and six minor political parties in Oregon. You can choose to be a member of a party, or you can … Continue reading Offense and Sentencing: Marjory Gale pleaded guilty on 3/4/2019 to one misdemeanor violation charge of voting or offering to vote when not entitled[17]Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, State of Oregon v. Marjory Gale, Case Number: 19CR09708 – Court Records in relation to an offense committed during the 2016 general election.[18]Chris Lehman, “10 Oregon Voters Plead Guilty to Voter Fraud in 2016 Presidential Election,” oregonlive.com, April 29, 2019 Gale was sentenced on the same day to $750 in fees.[19]Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, State of Oregon v. Marjory Gale, Case Number: 19CR09708 – Court Records | “Ten people in Oregon have been convicted so far in voter fraud cases stemming from the 2016 election. … Prosecutors said Marjory Gale of Hood River cast her own ballot and that of her daughter, who was away at college.”[20]Chris Lehman, “10 Oregon Voters Plead Guilty to Voter Fraud in 2016 Presidential Election,” oregonlive.com, April 29, 2019 Case Notes: State of Oregon v. Marjory Gale Case Number: 19CR09708 Court Records | Type of Election: Presidential Party Affiliation: Not Found Theoretical Election Effect: 1 illegal vote, party unknown |
| 5. | Election Year: 2016 Name: Katie Meyer Party Affiliation: Not Found[21]According to the website of Multnomah County, Oregon, “there are two major political parties and six minor political parties in Oregon. You can choose to be a member of a party, or you can … Continue reading Offense and Sentencing: Katie Meyer pleaded guilty on 3/7/2019 to one misdemeanor violation charge of voting or offering to vote when not entitled[22]Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, State of Oregon v. Katie Meyer, Case Number: 19CR13987 – Court Records in relation to an offense committed during the 2016 general election.[23]Chris Lehman, “10 Oregon Voters Plead Guilty to Voter Fraud in 2016 Presidential Election,” oregonlive.com, April 29, 2019 Meyer was sentenced on the same day to $225 in fees.[24]Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, State of Oregon v. Katie Meyer, Case Number: 19CR13987 – Court Records | “[Katie] Meyer was an 18-year-old college student attending school in Colorado at the time of the 2016 election. ‘There was a big push on campus to register to vote, which she did,’ said [DOJ spokeswoman Kristina] Edmunson. ‘Her parents also mailed her the Oregon General Election ballot, and she received a Colorado ballot. She does not remember filling out both ballots, but acknowledges she must have.'”[25]Chris Lehman, “10 Oregon Voters Plead Guilty to Voter Fraud in 2016 Presidential Election,” oregonlive.com, April 29, 2019 Case Notes: State of Oregon v. Katie Meyer Case Number: 19CR13987 Court Records | Type of Election: Presidential Party Affiliation: Not Found Theoretical Election Effect: 1 illegal vote, party unknown |
| 6. | Election Year: 2016 Name: Jeremy Robbins Party Affiliation: Not Found[26]According to the website of Multnomah County, Oregon, “there are two major political parties and six minor political parties in Oregon. You can choose to be a member of a party, or you can … Continue reading Offense and Sentencing: Jeremy Robbins pleaded no contest on 3/21/2019 to one misdemeanor violation charge of voting or offering to vote when not entitled[27]Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, State of Oregon v. Jeremy Robbins, Case Number: 19CR14603 – Court Records in relation to an offense committed during the 2016 general election.[28]Chris Lehman, “10 Oregon Voters Plead Guilty to Voter Fraud in 2016 Presidential Election,” oregonlive.com, April 29, 2019 Robbins was sentenced on the same day to a suspended fee of $440.[29]Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, State of Oregon v. Jeremy Robbins, Case Number: 19CR14603 – Court Records | “Ten people in Oregon have been convicted so far in voter fraud cases stemming from the 2016 election. … Prosecutors said [Jeremy] Robbins cast a ballot in both Oregon and Washington. ‘At the time of the election, (Robbins) was suffering from kidney infections which impacted his cognition,’ said Oregon Department of Justice spokeswoman Kristina Edmunson. ‘He does not remember voting two ballots, but acknowledges that he did and is extremely remorseful.'”[30]Chris Lehman, “10 Oregon Voters Plead Guilty to Voter Fraud in 2016 Presidential Election,” oregonlive.com, April 29, 2019 Case Notes: State of Oregon v. Jeremy Robbins Case Number: 19CR14603 Court Records | Type of Election: Presidential Party Affiliation: Not Found Theoretical Election Effect: 1 illegal vote, party unknown |
| 7. | Election Year: 2016 Name: Simone Marie Thrasher Party Affiliation: Not Found[31]According to the website of Multnomah County, Oregon, “there are two major political parties and six minor political parties in Oregon. You can choose to be a member of a party, or you can … Continue reading Offense and Sentencing: Simone Marie Thrasher pleaded guilty on 5/24/2019 to one felony count of making a false statement / oath / affidavit and four felony counts of aggravated identity theft, in relation to offenses committed in the run up to the 2016 state elections; 30 further felony counts were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.[32]Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, “State of Oregon v. Simone Marie Thrasher, Case Number: 18CR84380,” webportal.courts.oregon.gov, accessed on June 3, 2022 Thrasher was sentenced on same day to 80 days in the county jail to be followed by 24 months of supervised probation plus associated fines and fees.[33]Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, “State of Oregon v. Simone Marie Thrasher, Case Number: 18CR84380,” webportal.courts.oregon.gov, accessed on June 3, 2022 On 11/15/2019 after a violation of the terms of probation, Thrasher was sentenced to 24 months incarceration with credit for time served, to be followed by a further 24 months of supervised probation.[34]Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, “State of Oregon v. Simone Marie Thrasher, Case Number: 18CR84380,” webportal.courts.oregon.gov, accessed on June 3, 2022 | “A Salem woman is being held on $478,000 bail Thursday after being charged with 35 counts of making a false statement under election laws, aggravated identity theft and identity theft. Simone Thrasher, 23, a former paid circulator registered with Oregon Elections Division, is accused of making false statements, oaths or affidavits on several signature sheets submitted in December 2015. She also used the personal identification of at least 15 people on the petitions with the intent to deceive and defraud, according to court records. The alleged fraud was in connection to two initiated state statutes proposed in the run-up to the 2016 election.”[35]Whitney Woodworth, “Salem Woman Arrested on 35 Counts of Election Fraud, Identity Theft,” statesmanjournal.com, April 5, 2019 Case Notes: State of Oregon v. Simone Marie Thrasher Case Number: 18CR84380 Court Records | Type of Election: Ballot Petition Party Affiliation: Not Found Theoretical Election Effect: No effect on Congressional or Presidential elections |
References
| ↑1, ↑5, ↑10, ↑16, ↑21, ↑26, ↑31 | According to the website of Multnomah County, Oregon, “there are two major political parties and six minor political parties in Oregon. You can choose to be a member of a party, or you can choose to not be a member of a party (nonaffiliated).” – Source: Multnomah, “Primary Elections and Political Parties in Oregon,” multco.us, accessed on April 29, 2022 |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, “State of Oregon v. Josiah Samuel Bridges , Case Number: 20CR58408,” webportal.courts.oregon.gov, accessed on June 3, 2022 |
| ↑3, ↑4 | Associated Press, “Oregon Man Who Tried to Sell Ballot Pleads Guilty,” columbian.com, March 11, 2022 |
| ↑6, ↑7, ↑8, ↑9, ↑12, ↑15, ↑18, ↑20, ↑23, ↑25, ↑28, ↑30 | Chris Lehman, “10 Oregon Voters Plead Guilty to Voter Fraud in 2016 Presidential Election,” oregonlive.com, April 29, 2019 |
| ↑11, ↑13 | Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, State of Oregon v. Michael John Cruz, Case Number: 18CR75585 – Court Records |
| ↑14 | It was actually 40 hours of community service – see: Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, State of Oregon v. Michael John Cruz, Case Number: 18CR75585 – Court Records |
| ↑17, ↑19 | Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, State of Oregon v. Marjory Gale, Case Number: 19CR09708 – Court Records |
| ↑22, ↑24 | Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, State of Oregon v. Katie Meyer, Case Number: 19CR13987 – Court Records |
| ↑27, ↑29 | Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, State of Oregon v. Jeremy Robbins, Case Number: 19CR14603 – Court Records |
| ↑32, ↑33, ↑34 | Oregon Judicial Department – Online Records Search, “State of Oregon v. Simone Marie Thrasher, Case Number: 18CR84380,” webportal.courts.oregon.gov, accessed on June 3, 2022 |
| ↑35 | Whitney Woodworth, “Salem Woman Arrested on 35 Counts of Election Fraud, Identity Theft,” statesmanjournal.com, April 5, 2019 |