Problems with Women's Voices Women Vote surface in Oregon

Reports continue to surface nationally about problems with Women's Voices Women Vote, in the wake of Facing South's investigation two weeks ago after concerns about deceptive election practices in North Carolina.

This week's Willamette Week -- a paper in Portland, Oregon -- looks at Women's Voices in its "Rogue of the Week" column with a report on what's happening in that state, which has a primary on May 20:

Women's Voices, Women's Vote is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that aims to register single women to vote across the country.

So Portlander Jennifer Elder and her husband of 11 years, Paul Collins, were surprised when she got two WVWV letters April 29, the last day to register for the May 20 primary, saying: "If you have moved, you must update your voter registration in order to vote."

"My first impression was, 'Oh, are we not registered?'" says Collins, who opened the mail. "I could swear we were registered for this address. And of course we were."

Thousands more registered Oregon voters have been just as confused by WVWV letters since last year, according to Secretary of State Bill Bradbury. His office has been calling and sending "please-stop-doing-this-you're-insane" letters since then to WVWV, according to Bradbury spokesman Scott Moore.

The message is, "Assuming your intentions are good, you're causing more harm than good," Moore says.

"They've been completely unresponsive," Moore says. "It's an absolute nightmare."