‘He definitely needs to be recalled’: Sunriver homeowners frustrated after misleading email endorses candidate
SUNRIVER, Ore. (KTVZ) — Homeowners in Sunriver are voting this month on electing directors to the Sunriver Owners Association board.
In early July, the SROA members received an email from what appeared to some to be the official association, including the SROA logo, endorsing just one candidate, Bob Tiernan, when there are several on the ballot.
What some voters didn’t know was that the association didn’t send the email.
Instead, one of the current directors (one who is not up for re-election this year) sent out the endorsement, from a "Sunriver Concerned Citizens" email address.
"I was surprised and and sort of not surprised. Knowing the background of the person involved," said homeowner Susan Quesada, "he definitely needs to be recalled if he does not plan to voluntarily resign."
The SROA learned of and advised in a mailing and posting to its website nearly a month ago about the “unauthorized email sent to owners. The associated noted that the email included the SROA logo and mailing address as its contact, but that “SROA will never take a position with respect to the election of any Board candidate.”
NewsChannel 21 has reached out to the association several times, but hasn't heard back.
The endorsed candidate said he doesn't know the current board member who endorsed him but doesn't see the harm in the email.
Tiernan said, "I think it's unfortunate. But, you know, at the same time, I don't think it's that big a deal."
"Contacting 100 people at a 4,000-person election isn't really going to tip the scales of an election. If it is, they did a really bad job." he said.
Saturday is the last day for residents to submit their ballots, but some are demanding the election be paused and calling for the resignation of the director who sent the email.
The SROA bylaws prevent the election from being stopped, but Quesada says an investigation needs to continue.
Quesada said, "That does not mean we should stop pursuing and investigating this fraudulent email that was sent out that was trying to sway the election in an illegal way."
