Oregon’s election officials were busy filtering through phone and email communications on Friday due to an overload that caused their system to fail. This surge in inquiries was triggered by a misleading rumor suggesting that the state’s voter pamphlet excluded Republican nominee Donald Trump.

However, the pamphlet explicitly lists Trump as a candidate, and he will indeed appear on the ballot in Oregon. The absence of a statement promoting his candidacy arises from Trump’s failure to submit one, as clarified by the Oregon GOP in a statement.

Despite the clarification, the erroneous information continued to circulate widely on social media. On Thursday, the Oregon Secretary of State’s Elections Division announced the suspension of their phone lines due to the overwhelming volume of calls from individuals outside the state. Officials made adjustments on Friday to manage the high level of incoming inquiries effectively.

Laura Kerns, a spokesperson, mentioned, “Our phones are operational again, but we will be prioritizing the screening of voicemails.” She noted that voters from Oregon posing specific questions regarding the election would receive prioritized callbacks.

The office’s email communications were also inundated with responses regarding the false rumor, leading officials to focus on replies to residents who had “answerable questions.” Kerns indicated that they aim to fully resume normal operations by Monday.

On social media, misinformation persisted even on Friday. One user on X tagged Elon Musk, urging him to help clarify that Trump was not removed from the pamphlet, while another message shared the agency’s phone number as a call-to-action.

Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade responded in a news release, stating, “Oregonians requiring assistance will face delays because some individuals are intentionally misleading the public online. Spreading false claims about election integrity does not serve the interests of Oregonians.”