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Oregon's Central School District 13J says it received concerns about former Central High School teacher Ian Imamura's "performance and practices" starting June 2025, but none met its threshold for administrative leave until May 26, 2026, when new information involving a student surfaced. Imamura was dismissed Sept. 29. He faces eight felony charges, including Measure 11 sex crimes, accused of posing online as a teen actor and as Ariana Grande to manipulate a 17-year-old student into sending explicit images. The district's account follows a local investigation showing emails and staff reports of concerns reaching administrators well before May 2026, raising questions about its earlier public statements and handling of complaints.

Federal prosecutors asked Washington election officials to set aside ballots from roughly 405 voters they suspect registered without citizenship, accounting for about 1,500 cast ballots, and said more names may follow before Election Day. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs confirmed his office is reviewing the demand, which follows about 60 federal subpoenas for voter records over the past month. Hobbs has called the DOJ's data "deeply flawed," noting citizens appear on the list and most flagged voters are unregistered or inactive, and says withholding ballots without individualized proof would likely be unlawful. No charges have been filed.

A similar, larger fight is underway in California, where a federal judge rejected a DOJ demand to sequester roughly 20,000 disputed ballots but appointed a special master to vet the list, which both sides agree includes citizens. The DOJ has since subpoenaed California election officials and appealed to the 9th Circuit. Alaska has faced comparable demands.

The Oregon Department of Justice says it has been directed by the White House to prioritize prosecuting SNAP fraud cases, following the theft of more than $3 million in food assistance funds since October 2024. More than 700,000 Oregonians, about 18% of the state's population, rely on SNAP benefits. Officials say skimming devices placed at convenience and grocery stores have let criminals steal EBT card data, draining accounts to zero; Oregon's cards lack chips, making them easier targets. In the past two months, prosecutors filed 11 new indictments over $143,000 in stolen funds, part of a broader crackdown that has already charged or sentenced more than two dozen people. Sen. Ron Wyden has proposed legislation requiring chipped SNAP cards nationwide.

As mail ballots go out this week in Oregon and Washington, Clark County, Washington election officials have added new security measures to ballot drop boxes following a 2024 arson attack that destroyed hundreds of ballots in Vancouver. A similar device placed on a Portland drop box that year was contained by a fire suppression system, sparing most ballots there. The suspect in both incidents has never been identified or caught.

Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey said all 22 drop boxes in the county now have video cameras, internal fire suppression systems, and sensors that alert officials if a box is struck, tampered with, or opened. Officials hope the upgrades deter future attacks and provide evidence for law enforcement if needed. Washington ballots began mailing Tuesday; Oregon's voter registration deadline falls the same day, with ballots mailing Wednesday. Kimsey urged voters to review and submit ballots early rather than waiting until the deadline, to allow time to fix any issues.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, a Democrat, and Republican state Senator Christine Drazan met Thursday in Eugene for the first televised debate of the gubernatorial race, with election day about a month away. The two sparred over affordability, abortion rights, federal enforcement and data centers, trading pointed criticisms throughout the exchange.

Reaction from voters afterward was mixed. Some said Drazan struggled to counter her legislative record, while others felt both candidates leaned heavily on attacking each other rather than laying out clear plans. Several undecided voters said the debate did little to sway them, describing it as contentious without a clear winner.

Kotek and Drazan are scheduled to debate twice more, in Bend and Medford, but will not hold a televised debate in Portland before the election. The race is one of the most closely watched gubernatorial contests this cycle, with control of Oregon's executive branch at stake.

Washington County, Oregon Chair Kathryn Harrington announced she is stepping back from her responsibilities after facing calls to resign over her conduct at a Board of Commissioners meeting. Video from the Tuesday session showed Harrington growing visibly angry during an exchange with Commissioner Jason Snider, slamming her hands on the desk before giving Commissioner Nafisa Fai the middle finger after asking Fai to stop blocking her sight line.

Fai called the gesture disrespectful to constituents, and a group of Tigard-area elected officials, along with the Multnomah County Democrats chair, publicly demanded Harrington's resignation despite her apology. On Thursday, Harrington's office said she would step back from chair duties to focus on her mental health, citing past openness about her struggles and calling the outburst a signal she needs support. She will remain a county commissioner through the end of her term, with Commissioner Jason Snider serving as chair pro-tem when Vice-Chair Jerry Willey is unavailable.

Oregon's Legislature's Joint Emergency Board unanimously approved $1.25 million in emergency funding for the Secretary of State's office to expand ballot drop box access and voter notification services before the upcoming general election. Secretary of State Tobias Read requested the funds to strengthen vote-by-mail infrastructure and public confidence in the system.

Of the total, $618,000 will fund new drop box locations in areas identified by a state study as having limited access, with specific sites to be announced once agreements with counties are finalized. Another $154,000 will expand BallotTrax, an opt-in service that alerts voters when their ballot is mailed, received, and counted, currently available in five counties, statewide. The remaining $480,000 will fund updated notices to voters on Oregon's inactive list, a records-cleanup measure that will not affect this election since inactive voters cannot cast ballots. Legislative leaders, including House Speaker Julie Fahey and Senate President Rob Wagner, framed the funding as reinforcing Oregon's decades-long vote-by-mail system.

Portland-area election officials say they remain confident in Oregon's vote-by-mail system after an unidentified whistleblower alleged the U.S. Postal Service is rushing out a ballot-processing system riddled with errors, warning a single scanning mistake could block an entire batch of ballots. The new USPS system is tied to a March executive order requiring states to submit lists of eligible voters for mail ballots, an order Oregon and other states are challenging in federal court as unconstitutional.

Multnomah County Elections Director Tim Scott said the county's system remains secure and convenient, and expects a temporary restraining order against the executive order to hold. He noted vote-by-mail was established by a 1998 Oregon voter initiative, not legislators. Clackamas County officials say they are proceeding as with any election, urging voters to confirm their addresses, request ballots if needed, and sign up for tracking. Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read said the state will keep challenging the USPS plan while ensuring safe, accurate elections regardless of the outcome. President Trump has said the order targets election fraud.