![]() ![]() Some counties are increasing their numbers. That’s the same rationale used by officials in Clackamas, Benton, Josephine and other counties that are reducing the number of workers processing ballots. “We do not have room for more people to work safely under the Oregon Health Authority guidelines.” “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are instituting physical distancing for everyone’s safety,” Burgess said. Marion County Clerk Bill Burgess said he expects to have 55 people doing that work for this election, as opposed to 85 to 90 two years ago. Some elections officials are reducing those numbers to accommodate safe social distancing. (Multnomah County has also converted all boxes at shuttered county libraries to 24-hour sites, as opposed to being only available during business hours prior to the pandemic.)Ĭounties have also diverged in how many elections workers will be on hand to process ballots. Benton, Multnomah and Tillamook counties reported adding a drop site, as well. While most counties that responded will have the same number of drop boxes as they did in November 2018, some are expanding despite difficulties brought on by COVID.įor instance, Jackson County recently added a drop box at the public library in Medford, County Clerk Chris Walker said. As of Wednesday, officials in 30 of the state’s 36 counties had replied to some extent. OPB emailed a survey to elections officials in every Oregon county in late September, asking basic questions about drop sites, how many elections workers they planned to use, guidance they were providing on when to mail ballots and more. ![]() Changes, but less dramatic than elsewhere As of Wednesday morning, elections officials reported that more than a fifth of them had already cast ballots. Grant County had 5,432 registered voters in September. ![]() That’s a far higher requirement than Texas, where a high-profile fight is playing out over the governor’s attempt to restrict ballot drop boxes to one per county, regardless of population, prior to Election Day. The county still meets state rules that require each county to provide a minimum of two drop boxes, and at least one box for every 30,000 registered voters. “COVID has made it necessary to remove four boxes because two boxes were in small city halls, one box was in the senior center which is closed to the public and one box was in the county library which is also closed to the public,” Grant County Clerk Brenda Percy said.Ī ballot drop box outside the Grant County Sheriff's Department, Aug. Both of the drop boxes for this election are located in Canyon City, the county seat. Elections officials are providing two drop sites this election, compared to six in November 2018, a reduction of 66%. In nearby Grant County, the reduction is more stark. “The remaining drop sites aside from the elections office are 24-hour drive up sites.” “Both of those locations are only several blocks from the Elections Office anyway, and removing them eliminates social distancing and sanitization issues in those facilities,” Harney County Clerk Derrin Robinson wrote in a response to OPB’s survey. That’s because a library and senior center that previously housed drop boxes are closed to the public. Harney County officials say they’ll have four drop sites this year, compared to six two years ago. In two eastern Oregon counties, the reduction has been somewhat larger. Four counties surveyed say they’ve been forced to reduce their number of ballot drops by one site, due to building closures brought on by the pandemic. In most instances those reductions have been minor. Related: More 2020 election coverage, ballot guide and results from OPB Voters in at least six Oregon counties have fewer options for depositing their ballots in county-managed drop sites than they did two years ago, according to a survey OPB conducted of county elections officials. After 20 years sending out all ballots by mail, state officials have stressed time and again that 2020 should not pose any stark disruptions - a claim bolstered by a flood of returned ballots in the last week.īut the coronavirus has made some impact. ![]()
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