Tag Archive for 'Voting'

Fun Facts – Special Election Edition

Published on February 2, 2010 in Elections. 0 Comments Tags: , .

As the January 2010 Special Election wraps up we thought it would be nice to share some fun statistics from this years election. Since the election has not been certified, these numbers could change as ballots are processed by the counties.

Early Scanning

As Jeff Mapes alluded to in this piece, early scanning had a major impact on the tallying of votes in this election. According to our number crunching Deputy Secretary of State, it is estimated that by 9:00pm, just one hour after the voting deadline, around 83% of ballots had been tallied. This is thanks to a bill that was passed during the 2009 session, which allows for counties to scan ballots received before the deadline and keep that data stored safely and securely until election day. It should be noted that the ballots are ONLY scanned and not tabulated until election day.

We received some kind words from County clerks, thanking us for making early scanning a reality.

Voter Turnout

You may remember the Secretary’s turnout prediction of 62% for this special election. Well according to our OCVR data as of yesterday, 1,280,278 of a total 2,049,703, or almost exactly 62% of registered voters, turned in their ballots this election!

Our elections division has 30 days from election day to certify this special election. We will be sure to share the final data with you as it is made available.

Celebrating 100 Years of Suffrage

Published on October 19, 2009 in Archives and Secretary Brown. 1 Comment Tags: , , , .
Abigail Scott Duniway (right) arrives to vote in Portland for a 1914 election. Source: SoS Archives Division

Abigail Scott Duniway (right) arrives to vote in Portland for a 1914 election. Source: SoS Archives Division

Planning will get under way this fall for an important anniversary in Oregon’s political and cultural history.

In 1912, Oregon voters gave women the full right to vote but it wasn’t an easy effort. Five previous statewide suffrage ballot measures had failed in the previous three decades, the most recent by increasingly large margins. Its final success in 1912 still placed Oregon among the first states to give women the complete right to vote and it came full eight years before ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

In 2012, Oregon will celebrate the suffrage centennial with appropriate displays and retrospectives coordinated by the Oregon Archives Divisions. Earlier this month, Secretary of State Kate Brown will take part in a small reception at the Archives Building to mark the start of planning for the centennial celebration.

“I’m really excited to be a part of this process,” Brown said. “This was a vote that changed the face of Oregon and it came with the support of some brave and colorful figures from our past. This is a golden page in Oregon history.”

Taking part in the celebration will be the Oregon Women Suffrage Centennial Project, a part of the Northwest History Network. The project has already started a web site, www.oregonsuffrage.org, that takes a close look at Oregon’s suffrage movement with articles, a time line and photos.

President Teddy Roosevelt took a leading role in the Progressive Era. Source: Oregon SoS Archives

Full suffrage for women had its first debate in the Oregon Legislature in 1872. By 1878 women – if taxpayers — won the right to vote in school elections only. By 1912, suffrage had been defeated in five statewide votes, the first in 1884 and 1900, put before voters by the Legislature, and again in 1906, 1908 and 1910, put on the ballot by the newly-established right to citizen initiative. The last three measures lost by increasing larger margins, going from 44 percent support in 1906, to 49 percent in 1908 and 37 percent in 1910.

But 1912 saw a groundswell toward progressive causes, which included women’s suffrage. In 1912, Theodore Roosevelt and his Progressive Party (known as the Bull Moosers) came in second in Oregon to Woodrow Wilson in the presidential balloting. And that year, after five defeats, suffrage finally won approval, gaining 51.7 percent of the vote.

We’ll keep you updated on other events leading up to the suffrage centennial.

Want to vote in the Nov. 3 elections? Register now!

Published on October 13, 2009 in Elections. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Today is the last day to register to vote in the Nov. 3 elections.

Voters all over the state will make choices in how to administer cities, schools and a multitude of local service districts. These aren’t issues that will likely make the statewide radar, but they do matter a lot to those who they will affect. And that is what this election is about; communities making critical choices on vital issues that will affect them for years to come.

Perhaps the biggest ballot measure in the state this fall is Central Oregon Community College’s request for $41.6 million in bonds for campus improvements. Voters in all or parts of six central Oregon counties will decide the fate of the bonds.

Most of the remaining requests concern local services; fire districts, water districts, library districts, animal protection districts, amongst others. For instance, the city of Bandon is asking for money for police services, while the Shangri-La Water District in Lane County is asking for money for system repairs. The city of Ashland wants to main a tax on food and beverages to pay for waste-water services and finally the Rogue River Rural Fire Protection District is asking for money to maintain services.

Close on the heels of the registration deadline is the day when ballots start going in the mail. That will begin on Friday.

And remember to have your ballots in the hands of your local elections office no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3. Postmarks don’t count.