Deschutes County identifies election errors in pamphlet and ballots

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) --- The Deschutes County Clerk's Office has identified two election-related issues ahead of the Nov. 3 election, involving a candidate name misspelling and incorrect precinct ballots sent to voters.

The errors affect both a candidate running for local office and roughly 200 voters in recently annexed areas of the City of Bend. In the printed voter pamphlet, the letter “H” was omitted from the last name of Rob Imhoff, a candidate for Deschutes County Commission Position five. In addition, precinct ballot errors were discovered following city annexation updates.

The Deschutes County Clerk's Office addressed the pamphlet error on their facebook page. “The letter 'H' was accidentally left out of Deschutes County Commission Position five candidate Imhoff's last name in the printed voter pamphlet,” the office said. Officials noted that the online version of the pamphlet has been corrected.

The clerk's office also detailed the issue regarding the mailed ballots. “In addition, roughly 200 voters in recently annexed areas in the City of Bend were sent incorrect precinct ballots,” the office stated.

For voters who may have already submitted an incorrect ballot, election officials provided specific instructions. “If an affected voter has already returned the original ballot, they should complete and return the corrected ballot they receive,” the office said. “The Deschutes County Clerk's Office will ensure that only the valid ballot is counted.”

The clerk's office expressed its commitment to resolving the issues. “The Deschutes County Clerk's Office regrets the errors and remains committed to ensuring that every voter receives accurate election information,” the office said. Residents with questions are advised to call the office at 541-388-6547.

All affected voters will receive a corrected ballot by mail this week.