‘Swamped’: Ballots begin flowing into C.O. county clerks’ offices
Turnout 'exceptionally high'; voter says drop box 'seems like safest option'
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Voters across the High Desert have been returning their ballots in high numbers through the first weekend of voting for the Nov. 3 election, an early wave reflected across the state and nation.
According to the Deschutes County Clerk's Office, 9.76% of voters have returned their ballot so far, as of Monday. In Jefferson County, 6.22% of voters have already voted, and in Crook County, just over 10% of ballots have been cast and returned so far.
In an email to NewsChannel 21, Jefferson County Clerk Kate Zemke said she was "swamped" counting votes Monday.
Crook County Clerk Cheryl Seely told NewsChannel 21 voter turnout has been "exceptionally high," and the early numbers, "feel higher than usual."
It seems this election more voters will take advantage of official ballot drop boxes, rather than drop them in the mail.
“There seemed to be a lot of people who are trying to stop votes from counting," Deschutes County voter Sean Leslie told NewsChannel 21 on Monday. "A ballot box seems like the safest option that our votes are counted.”
Statewide, so far more than 88,000 people have cast their vote, following suit with the nationwide early voting trends. By comparison, at this time during the 2016 presidential election, 12,591 ballots were returned in Oregon. In 2012, it was less than 10,000.
About 3% of registered voters in Oregon have returned their ballots, according to the Elections Division of the Secretary of State.
During the last two presidential elections, between 80% and 82% of registered voters in Oregon have returned their ballots. Oregonians still have 15 days to return them.
