Elections

Oregon will mail ballots to military and overseas voters Friday as the U.S. Supreme Court weighs federal efforts to restrict mail-in voting ahead of the midterms.

Oregon approved $1.25M in emergency funds to add ballot drop boxes and expand ballot tracking ahead of the general election as mail-in voting faces delays.

Courts have ruled twice this week on the Trump administration’s efforts to limit voting by mail, most recently blocking new U.S. Postal Service restrictions Thursday.

The push comes after multiple failed attempts to put further animal protections into state law.

Secretary of State Tobias Read urged Oregonians to turn their ballots in at dropboxes if they live more than 50 miles from the Portland area.

Oregon voter turnout for the May primary was the highest the state has recorded in a midterm since it first transitioned to vote by mail in 1998, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

Nonaffiliated voters are Oregon’s largest voting bloc, but making the ballot without a party is an uphill battle.

The Lincoln County clerk on Wednesday informed the city of Waldport that enough signatures had been verified to hold a recall election July 14 for six councilors.

Springfield Lane County Commission incumbent David Loveall conceded his race to challenger Sean VanGordon over the weekend.

The battle is a rematch between Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek and Christine Drazan, a Republican

Two challengers in the races to represent Springfield and East Lane County on the Board of Commissioners remained ahead in the latest set of results released Thursday.

As of Thursday afternoon, the funding measure was leading by 218 votes.