Marion County elections officials are rushing out supplemental ballots to about 180 voters after discovering that a small batch of mailed ballots left out key local contests and a school funding measure. County leaders say the corrected ballots are being pushed out ahead of the May 19 primary so everyone affected can vote a complete ballot.
What Was Omitted And Who Was Affected
According to KGW, roughly 20 ballots mailed to voters on Devon Avenue Southeast in south Salem were missing contests for Salem mayor, municipal court judge and City Council Ward 4. About 160 ballots sent to addresses on Enchanted Way SE left out Cascade School District Measure 24-524. Marion County Clerk Bill Burgess told KGW the county spotted the errors after printing and mailing and is “remedying both situations quickly.”
How To Get A Supplemental Ballot
The elections office says affected voters can pick up and vote a supplemental ballot in person at the county clerk's office on the second floor of 555 Court Street NE in Salem, or request one by contacting elections staff. The county is also urging voters to return completed supplemental ballots to an official drop box instead of relying on the mail, according to the Marion County Elections office.
How The County Will Track And Count Replacements
Officials say supplemental ballots will be tracked and tallied separately from the original mailings so replacement votes are not mixed into the first batches. KGW reports the county will send supplemental ballots directly to the affected households, and elections staff are putting specific tracking steps in place for the May 19 count.
Why It Matters
While the ballot mix-up, about 180 voters, is tiny compared with overall county turnout, it lands at a time when other Oregon counties have dealt with printing and ballot problems that slowed vote counts and forced extra safeguards. Coverage of a 2022 Clackamas County barcode printing failure noted that affected ballots sometimes had to be hand duplicated to preserve vote accuracy, according to GovTech. Marion County officials say they are taking steps to avoid similar delays ahead of May 19, 2026, per the Marion County Elections site.
