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Elections office reviews May special election turnout, drop-box locations and OCVR vendor change
Summary
Elections staff reported a 30.25% turnout in the May 20 special election, proposed removing an underused library drop box, described the Secretary of State's decision to end a statewide replacement contract for OCVR, and announced a November 4 psilocybin measure in Philomath.
Elections staff told the Board of Commissioners on July 16 that turnout for the May 20 special election was 30.25% countywide (roughly 20,000'24,000 ballots), and that staff are evaluating underused ballot-drop boxes for consolidation to reduce operational cost and simplify pickup routes.
Staff said one drop box at the public library has low use and suffers trash being thrown into it; commissioners and staff discussed removing that station while keeping strategically used sites such as courthouse-area boxes, North Albany and Timberhill. The elections office said it maintains 16 outside drop boxes countywide and will find alternate, high-use locations where appropriate.
Vendor and system updates: Elections staff said the Secretary of State has ended the contract with a vendor working on a replacement for OCVR, the statewide voter registration and election-management system, and that resources will revert to maintaining the current OCVR system. Staff said this allows statewide officials to focus resources on bug fixes and stability for the existing platform.
Other items: The elections office reported the city of Philomath has certified a November 4 ballot measure on psilocybin; the August 15 deadline is the county's cut-off for local districts to submit measures for the November ballot. Staff also described lower passport-processing volumes than expected after a recent spike and noted marriage-ceremony services in the county clerk's office have resumed.
What's next: Elections staff will continue reviewing drop-box locations and coordinate with commissioners and local partners on any changes. The office will also monitor the statewide OCVR maintenance effort and schedule for any future replacement initiatives.
