Kim tells Willamette Week about making every vote count
We Asked the Candidates for Oregon Secretary of State if They’re Confident All Ballots Will Be Counted…
As Oregonians weigh their choices for November, we start quizzing the candidates.
September 23, 2020
Do you believe all Oregon votes will be counted in the November election?
Sen. Kim Thatcher (R-Keizer): Yes
"I have every confidence that all the votes will be counted but as secretary of state, I would strive for improvements in our current system. Allowing postmarks on mail ballots at least on the Saturday before, if not on election day, would help ensure every Oregon voter's ballot will count. Allowing postmarked ballots that come in after election day has worked well for many years in Washington state, and I would like to see if we can explore that system for Oregon.
"I'm also concerned about Oregonians who've been displaced from recent wildfires, potentially jumping through hoops to get their ballot. Many of these voters had their mailboxes burn down along with their homes and are now transient—moving from one location to another over the next several weeks. It's helpful to know there are ways to work with elections officials to have ballots mailed to temporary addresses. However, I've pushed for those officials to spread the word so voters know they can go to any county clerk's office in Oregon to have their hometown ballot printed, vote on that ballot, and it will get back to their county elections office at home."
Click here for the rest of the story: