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Officials take precautions as Oregon votes during pandemic

By ANDREW SELSKY, Associated Press
Published: May 18, 2020, 7:01pm

SALEM, Ore. — Hand sanitizers. Social distancing. Licked envelopes containing ballots.

Tuesday’s primary in Oregon amid the coronavirus pandemic and other challenges has created some unprecedented issues for officials and workers handling the vote-by-mail election.

“We are all very busy and focused on making this election work in spite of the pandemic, heightened cybersecurity threats, misinformation, disinformation and lack of public attention to this election understandably due to pandemic health and economic concerns,” said Bill Burgess, president of the Oregon Association of County Clerks.

At this point, all ballots must be taken to official drop-off sites because it’s too late for mail delivery. Ballots must be received by 8 p.m. Tuesday to be counted.

Despite the challenges, Burgess, the county clerk for Marion County, expects to have initial results at 8 p.m. Tuesday and to certify final results within a predetermined 20-day window.

There is no drama in the primary race for the White House. President Donald Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee and Joe Biden is the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Of more interest are the party races for Oregon secretary of state — the second-highest statewide office after the governor — and one to replace Rep. Greg Walden, a Hood River Republican, in the huge 2nd Congressional District covering Eastern, Central and part of southwest Oregon.

Walden, the only Republican in the state’s congressional delegation, is not running for a 12th term.

Only voters who declared a party affiliation can vote in the primary.

Three Republicans, including Knute Buehler, and four Democrats are running for the seat being vacated by Walden.

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