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Clackamas County elections office outlines May 19 primary plan, new tabulation system and voter deadlines
Summary
County Clerk Katherine McMullen told the Board of Commissioners the county is ready for the May 19 primary using a new Clear Ballot/clearVote tabulation system; ballots will be mailed April 29, the party-choice deadline is April 28 for closed primaries, and voters are advised to mail ballots a week early or use official drop sites because postmark handling has changed.
Clackamas County’s elections office briefed commissioners on March 19 about preparations for the May 19, 2026 primary, highlighting a new tabulation system, accessibility improvements and important deadlines.
County Clerk Katherine McMullen said the office completed a public logic-and-accuracy test and a February mock election with 6,600 test ballots to verify the new Clear Ballot/clearVote system adopted to replace aging ballot-design and tabulation equipment. "This system provides a modern Oregon-certified replacement that improved processing speed, digital adjudication, audit transparency, and overall workflow reliability," McMullen said, adding that Clackamas is the 15th Oregon county to adopt the system.
Key dates and instructions: ballots will be mailed to all registered voters beginning April 29; the party-choice deadline for closed primaries is April 28; voters who do not receive a ballot by May 7 should contact the elections office for a replacement; and ballots must be postmarked on or before election day (May 19) and received within seven days under state law. Because USPS postmark procedures have changed, McMullen recommended mailing ballots at least a week before election day or obtaining a counter postmark at a post office, or returning ballots to one of 26 official drop sites (open until 8:00 p.m. on May 19).
McMullen also described voter assistance technology installed at two locations to enable independent, confidential voting by people with disabilities and encouraged observers to attend the public logic-and-accuracy test on April 6.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about postmarks, drop-box security and the county’s plan for observers and outreach. McMullen said about 47,000 voters (roughly 15 percent of active registrants) had signed up for the county’s "Track Your Ballot" service.
What happens next: The elections office will conduct a public logic-and-accuracy test on April 6, continue voter outreach, and operate two vote centers and 26 official drop sites during the voting period.
