Residents raise questions about ballot-mailing timeline and acceptance in 2024 election

Residents told the Washington County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 4 they reviewed voter-roll data and state statutes and raised questions about the timing and handling of certain ballots during the 2024 general election.

Jill Latray, a Washington County resident, read state election rules and calendar dates during public comment, citing ORS 254.47 and ORS 253.065 and the Secretary of State 2024 election calendar to describe when different categories of ballots may be mailed. Latray said those sources clarify when military, overseas and other out-of-state electors may receive ballots and noted the Secretary of State calendar’s dates for mailing.

Mary Halkiopoulos, who described herself as a 23-year county resident, presented a review of the county voter roll and an “accepted ballots” report. Halkiopoulos said the voter roll shows 2,294 electors requested UOCAVA (military/overseas) or other out-of-state mailings, and that her analysis showed 6,114 ballots were received in a particular period with 6,104 accepted. She asked why those ballots “were accepted and processed before the first logic and accuracy test” and why certain ballots appeared to have been mailed or processed earlier than the timelines she cited.

Halkiopoulos characterized the discrepancies as a potential failure to follow statutes and said she and others will continue to study the records. The transcript captures these concerns and statutory citations as testimony; it does not record board staff responses or any board action in reaction to the claims during the public portion of the meeting.