It's out with the old and in with the new for some 9,300 voters in East County who received the wrong ballots. A snafu in the Multnomah County Elections' distribution process has led to the scrambling of officials to ensure everyone gets their right to vote for Measure 26-244, which had been left out from the original ballots distributed to the affected precincts. In a move to correct the mistake, new ballots were mailed starting May 2, with the goal to get them all out by the following day.

The ballot blunder, which was caught on May 2, affects only 1.6% of the county’s registered voters, primarily those in two precincts in Gresham. Every ballot piggybacks a unique identifier as a security measure, which means elections officials will only count one ballot per voter, ensuring fair play in the upcoming Primary Election, set for May 21. According to a statement from the county elections office, voters should chuck the original ballets and make sure the new ones are in by Election Day.

Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson took quick steps to address the situation, directing Chief Operating Officer Serena Cruz to dive into a review of the districting and ballot procedures. Pederson emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of the election process, saying, "This after-action review will ensure that we can validate the complex, overlapping boundaries of dozens of special districts and zones present in the County."

Voters have until 8 p.m. on May 21 to return their replacement ballots, and, as an added measure of assistance, extended hours are in place at Multnomah County Elections locations leading up to the election date. The corrected ballots were sent out as part of a larger dispatch reaching approximately 570,000 voters across Multnomah County, which began on May 1. If you're a voter needing to replace a missing ballot, you've got until May 9 to reach out to the county elections office, they've advised.

Heading into this year's primary, Portlanders should note a shift in their voting experience. City of Portland elective offices have been pushed to the November ballot, where ranked choice voting will see its debut. For those keen on getting their hands on further information regarding the new voting system or who simply need their voting queries answered, more details are available on the city's official website.

For those wondering about their ballot's journey, Multnomah County offers the Track Your Ballot service, a nifty tool for those who like to keep track (literally) of their civic duty. Alerts about ballot statuses and even a digital "I Voted" sticker for the socially media savvy are up for grabs.

Voter service and additional voting resources, including interpretation services and information in 18 languages, are also available. The county reminds voters there are 30 official ballot drop sites scattered throughout the area where ballots can be returned up until the closing hour on Election Day.