Former NY Times Writer Denied Entrance To Oregon Gubernatorial Race

As ruled by the Oregon Elections Division this past Thursday, Nicholas Kristof, a former New York Times Columnist and Democrat, is officially ineligible to make abid for the governorship because they fail to meet the state’s residency requirements.

In the state of Oregon, it is required for a gubernatorial candidate to be a “resident within this state” for a period of at least three years before the elections take place.

“The rules are the rules and they apply equally to all candidates for office in Oregon. I stand by the determination of the experts in the Oregon Elections Division that Mr. Kristof does not currently meet the Constitutional requirements to run or serve as Oregon Governor,” stated Shemia Fagan, the Oregon Secretary of State, in a release.

“As Oregon’s chief elections official, it is my responsibility to make sure all candidates on the statewide ballot are qualified to serve if elected. The Oregon Elections Division and local election officials use the same standards to determine qualifications for hundreds of candidates in dozens of offices every year. In this instance, the candidate clearly does not meet the constitutional requirement to run or serve as governor of Oregon,” she continued.

The announcement also highlighted that Kristof had the right to put forth an appeal to the state’s decision.

“If Mr. Kristof chooses to appeal, the Oregon Elections Division is committed to doing everything possible to allow  Oregon courts to decide promptly,” stated the Director of Oregon Elections, Deborah Scroggin.

“My office remains focused on ensuring a fair process and meeting our March 17th deadline, after which clerks begin printing ballots. While the primary election is in May, for Oregon’s elections administrators, the work begins much sooner,” Scroggin continued.

“Kristof, who owns homes in both New York and Oregon, voted in New York in the 2020 election, putting him past the deadline to establish residency in Oregon ahead of the 2022 midterms,” reported The Hill.

Reportedly, Kristof left their position with the Times back in October as they made preparations for their run for the governor’s office in the Democratic Primary of Oregon. While working their position with the Times, Kristof was also a frequent CNN contributor and sported two winning of the Pulitzer Prize.

In mid-December, it was reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting that there still remained a bevy of questions in regards to Kristof’s eligibility.

“We typically determine whether candidates meet residency requirements by checking their voter registration records, but your Oregon voter registration record has insufficient information,” stated Lydia Plukchi, a compliance specialty with the office, in a released letter to Kristoff, stated the report.

“In addition, it has come to our attention that you voted in New York State as recently as 2020. Our office has reviewed the published legal memo concerning your residency in Oregon, but the memo does not address the effect of that vote on your Oregon residency,” read the letter.

Originally, Kristof put forth his bid as the state’s next governor in a video tweeted out on the 27th of October.

“Let’s make Oregon a place that rewards American values like hard work and initiative,” exclaimed Kristof in the posted video, “but that also understands that being down on your luck should never be a death sentence.”

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