With one week to go until election day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, about 16% of eligible voters in Clackamas County have turned in their ballots.
The county election’s office ballot return report from the evening of Monday, Oct. 28 indicated 51,291 ballots had been accepted by the county. There are 319,131 registered voters in Clackamas County.
In the 2022 midterm election, 12,672 Clackamas County ballots (4.1% of eligible voters) had been turned in with one week remaining until election day. In November 2020, voter turnout at this point was 176,946 or 57.4% of eligible voters. In the 2016 presidential election, 164,985 ballots were turned in with one week until election day, accounting for 61% of eligible voters.
County Clerk Catherine McMullen, whose office oversees the county election process, said it was difficult to make a straight comparison to previous election years because of changes in law — like the postmark rule which first went into effect for the November 2022 election — and the pandemic’s impacts in 2020.
“It is easy to vote early in Oregon! When you vote and return your ballot before Election Day, you ensure that school, work, or a traffic jam won’t stop your ballot from being cast on time,” McMullen said in a press release Oct. 29.
She recommends those mailing their ballots turn them into a blue postal box by Friday, Nov. 1 to ensure they are received on time. Ballots deposited in official ballot drop boxes must be in the box by 8 p.m. Election Day.
Clackamas County residents are voting not only in the presidential election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, but the heated 5th Congressional District race that could determine the balance of power in the United States House of Representatives. County voters will also decide on a new chair for the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners, as well as the commission’s fourth position.
Most Clackamas County communities also have local races on the ballot such as city council and mayoral contests, in addition to measures like school bond funding in Oregon City, compensation for city councilors in West Linn, park protections in Rivergrove, charter amendments in Portland, psilocybin therapy and a charter amendment in Lake Oswego and term limits for the Happy Valley City Council.
McMullen’s press release noted that observers are welcome to watch ballot processing at the county elections office in Oregon City. The observer schedule is available online here.
Observers may also be at official ballot drop box sites, the press release stated.
“Blocking access to an Official Ballot Drop Site, elections office, or voter service location is prohibited,” the release said. “Questioning a voter or asking to see or examine someone else’s ballot or how they intend to vote at an Official Ballot Drop Site, elections office, or voter service location is also prohibited. Observers are asked not to wear or bring any political messaging supporting or opposing any candidate or measure.”
The clerk also asked that community members immediately call 911 if they see any suspicious behavior near ballot boxes, while other concerns could be shared with the county clerk’s office or the Oregon Secretary of State.
Earlier this week, ballot boxes in Multnomah County and Clark County, Washington were set on fire. At a recent meeting of the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners, members of the United Sovereign Americans group made unsubstantiated claims about major flaws within the county’s election process.
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