Kristof ineligible to run for Oregon governor, secretary of state says

The Oregon Elections Division ruled on Thursday that former New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof is ineligible to run for governor because he failed to meet the state’s residency requirement.

Oregon’s constitution requires candidates for governor to have resided in the state for at least three years before an election. 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.

“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,” Secretary of State Shemia Fagan said in a statement.

The decision came just over two weeks after the Elections Division asked Kristof to make his case for eligibility. Lawyers for his campaign noted Kristof’s long-established connections to Oregon and urged Fagan to allow voters to render a decision on his candidacy.

Still, the decision is a major blow to Kristof, who has blown past his top rivals in fundraising since announcing his campaign in October.

Kristof, who left The New York Times in October in preparation for a gubernatorial bid, can still challenge the Elections Division’s decision. Oregon Elections Director Deborah Scroggin said that her office was prepared to handle such an appeal.

“If Mr. Kristof chooses to appeal, the Oregon Elections Division is committed to doing everything possible to allow Oregon courts to decide promptly,” Scroggin said in a statement.