Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Elections and Voting
Wyden Introduces Bill to Protect Voters and Elections Against COVID-19 Risks by Mandating Emergency Vote-By-Mail
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today introduced a bill to address the risks to American voters and elections posed by the coronavirus (COVID-19), and other outbreaks of infectious diseases or natural disasters. If 25 percent of states declare a state of emergency related to COVID-19, another infectious disease or natural disaster, the Resilient Elections During Quarantines and Natural Disasters Act of 2020 would require all states to offer an option for voters to mail in … Continue Reading
November 21, 2019
Wyden Welcomes Google Decision to Stop Microtargeting Political Ads
Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today praised Google's decision to end microtargeting of political ads, which it announced last night. Wyden first called for an end to microtargeted online ads in August, and again in additional views to the Senate Intelligence Committee's report on election interference released in October. "Google's decision to stop microtargeting political ads is a welcome and commendable step that will improve America's defenses against foreign interference in the 2020 … Continue Reading
September 17, 2019
Wyden Remarks at “In Defense of American Democracy” on Election Security and Vote-By-Mail
Thank you so much to the Shanker Institute for inviting me to speak today. You have a real all-star squad of civic activists and public servants here, between Secretary Clinton, Leah Greenberg of Indivisible, Randi Weingarten, Attorney General Holder. That's what my dad would call running with the right crowd. The topic is perhaps the most urgent, timely topic facing our country - Defending American Democracy. I'm going to start by telling you a little bit about how I spent my summer … Continue Reading
September 13, 2019
Wyden Leads Resolution to Designate September as National Voting Rights Month
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., reintroduced a resolution with Congressman Marc Veasey, D-Texas, this week to designate this month as "National Voting Rights Month." The resolution seeks to end voter suppression by bringing awareness to existing voter suppression laws, educating Americans on their rights as voters and urging Congress to pass critical voting rights legislation. The resolution urges Congress to pass S. 949 and H.R. 1, the For the People Act of 2019, S. 561 … Continue Reading
August 30, 2019
Wyden Statement on Caucus Cybersecurity
Washington, D.C.- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement today on new cybersecurity recommendations for state party caucuses. "One of the biggest lessons from 2016 is that election officials and parties must make cybersecurity a key consideration for every decision in our elections process. The DNC is doing the right thing by insisting on strong security measures for voters who caucus at home. Intelligence officials have made clear that foreign governments will exploit … Continue Reading
July 25, 2019
Wyden Renews Call for Mandatory Election Security Standards In Response to Intelligence Committee Report
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today called on Congress to act to secure federal elections, rather than leaving states to fend for themselves against hostile foreign hackers, in his response to a new Senate Intelligence Committee report issued today. “If there was ever a moment when Congress needed to exercise its clear constitutional authorities to regulate elections, this is it. America is facing a direct assault on the heart of our democracy by a determined … Continue Reading
July 15, 2019
Wyden Questions EAC: How Will You Address Widespread Use of Insecure Election Systems?
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., asked the Election Assistance Commission how it plans to address a new looming election security crisis - the fact that most new election management systems depend on out-of-date software that will soon be highly vulnerable to hackers, in a letter sent Friday. The Associated Press reported this weekend that most new election management systems - the machines that program voting machines and count votes - run on Windows 7, an old, outdated operating … Continue Reading
June 20, 2019
Wyden Acts to Protect Elections from Foreign Interference
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden today co-sponsored legislation that would help protect U.S. elections from foreign interference by requiring candidates, campaign officials and their family members to notify law enforcement if offered illegal assistance by a foreign national. "It shouldn't take a law for candidates to know they need to tell the FBI when foreigners try to illegally influence our elections," Wyden said. "But now that this administration has thrown every commonsense … Continue Reading
June 12, 2019
Wyden, Klobuchar Question FBI Response to Hack of Florida Election Software Company
Washington, D.C. - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., ranking member of the Senate Rules Committee, today asked the FBI to explain its response to the potential Russian hack of VR Systems, a Florida-based election software company. Wyden and Klobuchar pressed the FBI to explain what steps it took to investigate a potential hack of VR Systems. The company provides election software, including electronic poll … Continue Reading
May 21, 2019
Wyden Introduces Bill to Protect Campaigns, State Parties From Foreign Hackers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today introduced a bill to defend campaigns and state parties against foreign hackers. The Federal Campaign Cybersecurity Assistance Act is the third bill Wyden has introduced this year to guard American democracy against cyberattacks, following legislation to protect election infrastructure and Senate cybersecurity. This bill would allow national party committees to provide cybersecurity assistance to state parties, individuals running for … Continue Reading
May 15, 2019
Wyden and Bicameral Coalition Introduce Bill to Require States to Secure Elections
Washington, D.C. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and 14 Senate co-sponsors today introduced an expanded version of his bill to protect American elections from foreign interference by mandating hand-marked paper ballots and setting new cybersecurity standards for all federal elections. The bill provides the strongest protection for American elections of any proposal currently before Congress. The Protecting American Votes and Elections Act of 2019 is co-sponsored by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., … Continue Reading
March 06, 2019
Wyden, Heinrich, Harris Request Declassification of Response to Questions About Chinese Interference in U.S. Elections
Washington, D.C. - Senate Intelligence Committee members Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., today called on the Director of National Intelligence to declassify a letter sent October 31, 2018, that responded to questions about whether China interfered in the 2016 and 2018 U.S. elections. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats provided an unclassified response to those questions on February 8, which is available here. That unclassified … Continue Reading
January 31, 2019
Wyden, Tester Reintroduce Bill Targeting “Dark Money” in Politics
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jon Tester today reintroduced the Spotlight Act, a bill to shine a light on dark money political donors and hold the Trump Administration accountable to enforce our nation's campaign finance laws. "The Trump Administration's pro-dark money rule allows foreign powers and special interests to spread their influence even deeper into our democracy, so it's got to go before the next election," said Wyden, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance … Continue Reading
May 08, 2015
Wyden Demands New Disclosure Rules for Political Ads
Washington, DC - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., this week co-sponsored legislation that would direct federal regulators to update and expand disclosure rules that govern commercial and political ads. Wyden said the Sunshine in Sponsorship Identification Act introduced by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and also cosponsored by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) is a must because it directs the Federal … Continue Reading
May 03, 2012
Wyden Joins Colleagues in Calling for Extension of Current Postal Closing Moratorium
Washington, D.C. - Days after the Senate passed postal reform legislation that would have protected states that vote-by-mail or with large numbers of absentee balloting from the concern that postal closures too close to the election will disrupt their ability to vote, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) joined more than 40 Senate colleagues in a letter to the Postmaster General calling on the United States Postal Service to extend the current moratorium on postal closures beyond the May 15 … Continue Reading
April 24, 2012
Wyden Moratorium on Postal Closures to Protect Vote-by-mail Included in Postal Reform Bill
Washington, D.C. - With 25 million Americans expected to cast their ballots for president through the Unites States Postal Service, disruptions to that system could have real and lasting effects on the outcome of the election. In order to protect the integrity of the vote-by-mail system first pioneered by Oregon and the millions of Americans who vote by absentee ballot, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) successfully secured an amendment into the postal reform legislation to prevent closings of … Continue Reading
April 18, 2012
Wyden, Feinstein, Merkley, Tester Amendment Will Keep Rural Post Offices Open Through Election Day
Washington, D.C. - The planned closures and consolidations of rural postal facilities throughout the country poses a particularly serious risk to states like Oregon that rely on vote-by-mail for their federal and state elections. With the presidential election approaching and the United States Post Office moving forward with plans to close many rural facilities in states like Oregon and California, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Jon … Continue Reading
March 21, 2012
Wyden Commends Inclusion of “Stand By Your Ad” Extension in Reintroduced Disclose Act
Washington, D.C. - As the first full election cycle since the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling extended personal election rules to corporations, the extent to which corporate influence and that of the Super PACs the ruling inadvertently created is becoming clear. More than ever, election related funds have been collected and spent nearly in secret - distorting the process and further eroding campaign finance protections. In response to the court ruling, a group of senators including U.S. … Continue Reading
February 23, 2012
Wyden Statement on Proposed Closure of Mail Processing Facilities in Bend, Pendleton, Eugene and Salem
Portland, Or - Oregon Senator Ron Wyden issued the following statement today on the U.S. Postal Service's announcement that it plans to close mail distribution centers in Bend, Pendleton, Eugene and Salem. "The closure of the mail processing facilities in Bend, Pendleton, Eugene and Salem will not only add unnecessary delays to the delivery of mail and put a greater burden on hard-working postal employees throughout the state, it also threatens the integrity of Oregon's vote-by-mail system. … Continue Reading
January 26, 2012
Wyden Cosponsors Constitutional Amendment To “safeguard against the influence of big money” in U.S. Elections
Washington, D.C. - In the wake of the Supreme Court's decision in Citizen's United v. FEC giving corporations and special interests the same free speech rights as individuals, hundreds of independent groups known as "Super PACs" have already collected and spent millions of dollars and can raise and spend unlimited funds to influence elections while completely shielding their identities. U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) - continuing his decades-long effort to inject more transparency into … Continue Reading
