House District 19 candidate falsely claims master's degree in Oregon voters' pamphlet

Jonathan Bach | Statesman Journal

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The Democratic candidate for House District 19 falsely listed having a master's degree in the Oregon Voters' Pamphlet.

Salem electrician Mike Ellison has completed most of his graduate work through the Oregon Institute of Technology, but has yet to defend his thesis.

He's running against Republican incumbent Rep. Denyc Boles for the House seat that includes parts of Salem and a broad swath of Marion County.

Ellison was also cross-nominated by two minor parties, the Oregon Working Families Party and the Oregon Progressive Party.

Under the "educational background" section of the state voters' pamphlet, Ellison lists a Master of Science in Renewable Energy Engineering from OIT.

However, Ellison disclosed to the Statesman Journal that he plans to defend his master's thesis following the Nov. 6 election. He said his degree will be completed by the end of fall term, around Thanksgiving.

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He also defended the characterization in the voters' pamphlet. "It says educational background. ... That is my background."

"Every second of class work is done," Ellison said.

Ellison said he was going to school on weekends and nights while holding a full-time job to support his family of five.

Oregon election law prohibits candidates from falsely claiming to have college degrees that they don't possess.

Violating ORS 260.715(1), pertaining to "False Statements in Material Required by Election Law," constitutes a Class C felony, according to the Oregon Secretary of State's Elections Division.

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Deb Royal, chief of staff for Secretary of State Dennis Richardson, said such a violation is a criminal offense and would go to the Oregon Department of Justice for investigation.

However, the state would need a complaint first. "We have nothing to forward if we don't have a complaint," she said. "We are complaint-driven."

Republicans responded swiftly after the Statesman Journal reported the apparent violation, filing a complaint with Richardson's office.

Preston Mann, executive director of the House Republicans' Promote Oregon Leadership PAC, wrote, "As the Statesman Journal reported, Ellison, in fact, has not earned a master's degree from OIT."

"Given these facts, Mr. Ellison's voters' pamphlet statement is clearly in violation of ORS 260.715(1)," Mann wrote. "We respectfully request that the Elections Division investigate this matter and seek appropriate correction to ensure the integrity of our elections."

Candidates embellishing their educational experience "happens two or three times every election cycle," Royal said.

"Usually these kinds of problems sink a candidate," Jim Moore, a politics professor at Pacific University, said in an email. "Not only is it the lying in the Voters' Pamphlet part (regardless of the reason), it just strikes at the credibility of the candidate who is just beginning to be known by the electorate as the campaign season moves along."

In September, the Bend Bulletin reported that then-House District 54 candidate Amanda La Bell falsely claimed to have a bachelor’s degree from Valdosta State University in Georgia.

La Bell told the newspaper she left the university after one semester. She later suspended her campaign for the House seat.

Email jbach@statesmanjournal.com, call (503) 399-6714 or follow on Twitter @jonathanmbach.

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