Voter Registration Closed at 5 pm Today Voter registration for May primaries closed at 5 pm today in Clatsop County. On the May 20th ballot are several races that could be determined without advancing to the general election in November. In races for County Commissioner and District Attorney, any candidate receiving 51% of the votes will be declared the winner of that seat. Should no one receive 51% then the seat will appear on the November ballot for determination, with the one receiving the highest amount of ballots winning (51% does not apply during the general election). Primaries have a notoriously lower voter turnout, with voters not realizing that many seats are determined at this election. In 2010, the last time the seat for district attorney was on the ballot, only 49% of those eligible, voted. Of those that did vote on that ballot, 3,023 undervoted (meaning they cast a ballot but left that seat blank). Undervotes are not counted for the purpose of determining the 51% needed to be elected. Only ballots cast for someone are counted. In the case of the current district attorney race, the incumbent is running unopposed. The only way for a ballot to be counted is to vote for the incumbent or write in a valid name of someone eligible to do the job if elected. Mickey Mouse ballots are not counted. Only attorneys who are members of the Oregon State Bar and registered to vote in Clatsop County are eligible to be voted for as a write in for district attorney. All registered voters in Clatsop County are eligible to vote for the district attorney. In other races, three of the five districts will be voting for commissioners. Only registered voters in each district may vote for commissioners of their district. District 1 is comprised of voters in western Astoria from 8th and Lexington to Youngs Bay, in Warrenton from NW Ridge Road east and south along Ridge Road to Burton Drive and all of Hammond. Incumbent Scott Lee is running against challenger Frank Orrell, a former City of Warrenton commissioner. District 3 is comprised of voters in central Astoria from Denver St southwest to Cedar Bay on Highway 202 and 8th St east to 31st, as well as Miles Crossing, Jeffers Garden, Fort Clatsop, Lewis and Clark, Youngs River, Olney, Green Mountain and part of Walluski (Towhee Dr and Labiske Ln to just past Lillenas Rd). Peter Huhtala has declined to run again, leaving two new people to run against each other, Lisa Clement (co-owner of downtown Astoria resturant, Clementes) and Greg Peterson (Commercial Loan Officer with Clatsop Community Bank in Seaside, serves on Lower Columbia Hospice Advisory Board and on the Astoria Armory Board). District 5 represents voters in the southern portion of Clatsop County including Cannon Beach, Arch Cape, Elsie, Jewell and Hamlet and portions of Seaside (a swath of streets on the east side of Highway 101 from 24th Avenue south to the county limits and a smattering of residents on the east side from 4th Ave to Ave U). Matt Samuelson was appointed March 12th to complete Debra Birkbys term (which ends December 31st, 2014) when she suddenly announced her immediate resignation, effective January 31st. Samuelson has declined to run for the seat. Current Planning Commissioner Lianne Thompson is running against Seaside resident, and professional land surveyor, Dale Barrett. Other local elections include the election of political party precinct leaders, Judge Paula Brownhill runs unopposed for 18th District, position 1, and two county measures. Regionally, Senator Betsy Johnson runs unopposed, while Rick Rose and Luis DeMartino vie for the chance to run against Representative Deborah Boone in the November general election. US Senator Jeff Merkley faces William Bryk and Pavel Goberman who are challenging him for the Democrat nomination while five fight for the Republican nomination, Mark Callahan, Jason Conger, Timothy I. Crawley, Jo Rae Perkins, and Monica Wehby. Suzanne Bonamici runs unopposed for the Democrat nomination for Representative to Congress for District 1, while three run for the Republican nomination, Delinda Delgado Morgan, Bob Niemeyer, and Jason Yates. Statewide, John Kitzhaber is challenged by Ifeanyichukwu Diru for the Democrat nomination for Governor while six vie for the Republican nomination, Tim Carr, Gordon Challstrom, Bruce A. Cuff, Darren Karr, Mae Rafferty, Dennis Richardson. Ballots will be put into the mail on May 2nd and should begin arriving in mailboxes as early as May 5th. Ballots are due to the Clatsop County clerks office, 820 Exchange St., Astoria, by 8 pm on May 20th. Ballots can be mailed back or dropped at various ballot drop sites. A 24-hour Drive-up Drop Box is located on Exchange Street outside 820 Exchange St., Astoria and will be available until 8 pm on May 20th. Other drop sites: Cannon Beach City Hall 163 E. Gower Cannon Beach Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Election day: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to receive ballots Gearhart City Hall 698 Pacific Way Gearhart Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. for lunch) Election day: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to receive ballots (closed 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. for lunch) Seaside City Hall 989 Broadway Seaside Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Election day: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to receive ballots Warrenton City Hall 225 S. Main Ave. Warrenton Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Election day: 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. to receive ballots Knappa High School 41535 Old Highway 30 Knappa Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Election day: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to receive ballots Mist-Birkenfeld Fire Hall (Official Columbia County drop site) 12525 Oregon Highway 202 Mist Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Election day: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to receive ballots Clatskanie Library (Official Columbia County drop site) 11 Lillich Street Clatskanie Hours: Monday - Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday - Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Election day: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. to receive ballots In case of ballots being mismarked, lost or thrown away, a replacement ballot can be mailed provided the request is received with sufficient time for mailing. Otherwise, you may fill out a form and pick up a replacement ballot in person at the Clatsop County Clerk and Elections Department at 820 Exchange Street, 2nd floor, Astoria, (503) 325-8511.
Posted on: Wed, 30 Apr 2014 06:03:43 +0000
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