© 2024 KLCC

KLCC
136 W 8th Ave
Eugene OR 97401
541-463-6000
klcc@klcc.org

Contact Us

FCC Applications
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Ballots Steadily Trickle In For November 5th Special Election

Melorie Begay
/
KLCC

As of 1:00 pm today, Lane County Elections officials say they've counted 27,126 ballots so far that've arrived at their main office.  That’s a 22 percent return from registered voters.

Cheryl Betschart is the county clerk who serves as elections manager.  She says that’s a decent rate given the nature of this year’s special election, which has only three ballot measures for Lane County.

“This is not a full county wide election, this involves only voters in the City of Eugene, City of Coburg, and Santa Clara Fire District," says Betschart.  "It’s about 123,000 voters that are eligible. 

"Obviously in 2020 we will expect a much higher turnout, and that will be a full statewide election, so definitely we’ll see much higher returns next year.” 

Betschart says the last comparable election to this year would be 2018, which saw a 32 percent return from Lane County voters. She says it all depends on ballot items and the interest they fire up.

People have until 8:00pm  tonight to get their ballot to an official Lane County Elections drop-off site.

Copyright 2019, KLCC.

Brian Bull is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, and remains a contributor to the KLCC news department. He began working with KLCC in June 2016.   In his 27+ years as a public media journalist, he's worked at NPR, Twin Cities Public Television, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Wisconsin Public Radio, and ideastream in Cleveland. His reporting has netted dozens of accolades, including four national Edward R. Murrow Awards (22 regional),  the Ohio Associated Press' Best Reporter Award, Best Radio Reporter from  the Native American Journalists Association, and the PRNDI/NEFE Award for Excellence in Consumer Finance Reporting.