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With the General Election approaching Nov. 3, Benton County invites the community to learn about their voting rights and best practices at a Town Hall. The event will be held Thursday, Oct. 8 at 3 p.m. in the Kalapuya Building, 4500 SW Research Way in Corvallis.

People can also participate remotely with a virtual meeting option. A Zoom link will be posted on the County’s website at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

The Town Hall is an opportunity for community members to ask questions and talk about voting concerns with a panel of Elections staff.  Following a short presentation about election processes and timelines, the remainder of the two-hour meeting will be dedicated to Q&A.

Recent federal attempts to change voting practices have left voters with questions about what to expect from this election and how to ensure their vote is counted. Benton County Clerk Darla Rush and her staff have received more questions in recent weeks than they would normally get before an election.

“For weeks, the local and national news have been filled with conflicting information about vote-by-mail, and people are understandably concerned,” said Rush. “At the Town Hall, they can get facts about voting and be confident that their ballot will be received and counted.”

Benton County recommends voters take these steps:

1. As soon as possible (no later than Oct. 13), check voter registration status and mailing address on the MyVote webpage.
2. Use the Official Voters’ Pamphlet to research candidates and measures before ballots are mailed.
3. When a ballot is received, don’t wait to fill it out! Complete and return it early in case questions arrive during processing.
4. Return ballots in secure drop boxes whenever possible. If you must mail it, drop it in the mailbox 7-10 days before Election Day.
5. To confirm your ballot was received, check the MyVote webpage or call the Benton County Elections Office at 541-766-6756.

General Election timeline

Oct. 5: Official Voters’ Pamphlet mailed to voters; Ballots mailed to absentee voters

Oct. 13: Deadline to register to vote in General Election or update registration

Oct. 14: Ballots mailed to in-state voters; Drop boxes open

Oct. 24: Benton County’s recommended deadline to mail ballot for return (to allow for processing by USPS)

Oct. 27: Secretary of State’s recommended deadline to mail ballot for return (to allow for processing by USPS)

Nov. 3: Election Day – ballots due in drop boxes or County Elections Office by 8 p.m.; Drop boxes locked at 8 p.m.

Benton County Clerk Darla Rush went directly to state and federal officials after reading that an unknown number of ballots were not collected from 12 of Corvallis’s 38 mail routes on May 19 — Election Day.

On July 6, the Corvallis Gazette-Times reported that some Corvallis votes were not counted following the May primary because letter carriers did not pick them up in time. Management had instructed postal workers to prioritize package deliveries over pickups.

A letter carrier who spoke to Mid-Valley Media said the order to deliver packages only is not uncommon when the volume of deliveries backs up and staffing is stretched. Around elections, however, carriers are usually told to prioritize mail over packages.

After reading the news story, Rush contacted the County’s United States Postal Service representative in Portland, who escalated the matter to senior leadership. They met Tuesday to discuss the issue.

Rush also shared the news story with the Secretary of State’s office, where staff will look into the matter. 

With a general election coming in November, Rush is doing everything she can to ensure every eligible ballot is postmarked by Election Day. She requested a meeting with USPS representatives, the Secretary of State’s elections director and the Corvallis postmaster that will take place later this week.

The last piece of her plan: increased communication and public education before the November election.

“Our primary message will encourage voters to use one of the county’s 17 official ballot drop sites whenever possible,” said Rush. “If you do mail a ballot, follow the Secretary of State’s direction — do it at least one week before Election Day.”

Rush and her staff will schedule community outreach meetings in the fall to talk with voters about their options and address questions.

Election resources, including locations of ballot drop boxes, are available on the Benton County Records & Elections website.