Oregon county clerks describe funding squeeze, propose five bills to clarify fees and election operations

Chair Bowman convened the House Committee on Rules informational meeting on Feb. 3, 2025, where leaders of the Oregon Association of County Clerks described declining recording revenues, greater workload for county clerk offices and introduced five bills aimed at clarifying fees and easing election operations.

The association’s president, Michelle Long, Klamath County clerk, said counties rely heavily on recording fees to help fund statutory election duties and that fees collected “are down” when the housing market and mortgage activity fall. “We are funded hugely dependent on the economy and the housing market,” Chris Walker, Jackson County clerk, told the committee, arguing the fee levels in ORS chapter 205 “have not kept up with inflationary and actual costs of doing business.”

The committee heard a 10–15 minute presentation from Long, Dag (Dag/Doug) Robinson and Chris Walker explaining county clerk duties (elections, recording, voter registration, Property Value Appeals Boards, licenses, passports and notary services), how some counties are chartered and others not, and how a drop in mortgage originations and refinance activity has reduced recording fee income that many counties use to support elections.

Why it matters

County clerks said the combination of lower recording revenue, inflation and rising labor costs has forced some offices to reduce staff and shift duties, which they said raises the risk of errors and service delays. The association framed the five bills they requested as targeted fixes that would either raise or…