Columbia County approves Secretary of State intergovernmental agreement for ballot ‘remake’ station

Columbia County commissioners voted Jan. 14 to approve intergovernmental agreement C1-2026 with the Oregon Secretary of State to provide the county Elections Department a dedicated, offline "remake" station for printing replacement or newly issued ballots.

The county’s presenter described the unit as a secure, standalone device with an internal audit system intended to allow jurisdictions to print replacement ballots when needed. County staff said the Secretary of State’s federal grant is expected to cover the units through July 14, 2029; after that date the county would pay licensing or operating costs if it decides to continue using the machine.

Why it matters: Election officials said the remake station could reduce the number of ballots the county has to pre-order for an election and serve as a backup if blank ballots run low. County staff discussed practical details during the meeting: typical print overages vary by election, staff cited an overage range up to about 10 percent in some contests, a per-ballot printing cost of about $0.31, and a planning figure of roughly 45,000 ballots for full county printing.

"The Secretary of State will provide our Elections Department with a dedicated remake station," the presenter said, adding that staff have been trained but have not yet used the unit and will test printing time and operational details before relying on it.

Commissioners asked about tracking and auditability; staff said the unit includes an audit system to log activity. After discussion, a commissioner moved to approve C1-2026 and the board adopted the motion by voice vote.

The county will accept the unit and evaluate operational performance; staff said they may use it as a backup or incorporate it into regular operations depending on the trial results and future licensing costs.