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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2020 | SILVERTONAPPEAL.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK Voters turn out in record numbers Jordyn Brown Register-Guard | USA TODAY NETWORK In a year that has been characterized as “unprece- dented,” the presidential election has been no differ- ent — voter turnout could have reached levels not seen in decades. As of Tuesday morning, at least 100.8 million peo- ple, a record, had already voted early in the presiden- tial election between President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden, according to the U.S. Elections Project, which tracks early voting and mail- in ballots returns in states. The massive early voting turnout put the U.S. on track to surpass 150 million voters overall for the elec- tion, which would mark the highest turnout of eligible voters by percentage in a presidential election since 1908, according to the vote-tracking group. That year, Republican William Howard Taft defeated Democrat William Jennings Bryan with 65.7% of the voting-eligi- ble population participating. Oregon voters appeared on track Monday to at least meet the 80.3% turnout rate of the last presidential election, with more early ballot returns than at this point in 2016. Nearly 400,000 more people in Oregon registered to vote this election than in 2016, with 2.94 million people registered, Secretary of State data shows. Unofficial numbers showed 73.1% of registered vot- ers had returned ballots as of Tuesday morning. Ore- gon had 80% of those registered return a ballot in 2016. Marion County’s registered voter turnout was at 68.4% by Tuesday, according to state data. Polk Coun- ty was reported at 71.9%. Polk County elections officials said Tuesday after- noon they were actually up to 75%. The county reached about 82% in the last presidential election, of- ficials said, with an estimated 12,000 ballots turned in on 2016’s election day. See TURNOUT, Page 2A Drivers line up to drop off their ballots outside the Marion County Courthouse on Tuesday in Salem. ABIGAIL DOLLINS / STATESMAN JOURNAL Republicans lead commission races in Polk and Marion Bill Poehler Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK A woman wades in the Willamette River on Sept. 1 at Riverview City Park in Independence, Ore. ABIGAIL DOLLINS / STATESMAN JOURNAL DEQ tests show toxins in Willamette River Basin Tracy Loew Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has identified hundreds of toxic chemicals in samples taken from 16 rivers and creeks across the Willamette River Basin. DEQ’s Willamette River Basin Water Toxics Summary, released Thursday, details the results of water quality, sediment and tissue sampling conduct- ed in 2016. The study did not find evidence of toxins that pose an immediate risk to human health or the environ- ment, DEQ officials said. “As the population, agriculture and industry have increased along the Willamette River Basin, Oregon DEQ has increased its sampling to include sediment, as well as expanded our list of collection sites,” said Lori Pillsbury, administrator of DEQ’s Laboratory and Environmental Assessment Division. “While there is no immediate danger to people or aquatic life, the summary gives us a better under- standing of where discharges, runoff and other activ- ities may be affecting water quality,” she said. The statewide water quality toxics monitoring pro- gram was funded by the Oregon Legislature in 2007. In 2015, DEQ released a survey of all of Oregon’s water basins, showing toxic chemicals ranging from pesticides to metals present in every basin. Some had levels above state criteria or benchmarks for human health and aquatic life. In 2016, DEQ conducted additional sampling across the Willamette River Basin. It tested for 460 chemicals, of which 318 were de- tected. They included current-use and legacy pesti- cides; consumer-use products; combustion by-prod- ucts; dioxins and furans; flame retardants; industrial chemicals; PCBs; and metals. Among the report’s findings: h Concentrations of DDT in sediment exceeded the benchmark at every sampling location in the Mid- Willamette Sub-Basin. DDT is banned in the United States, but is used elsewhere in the world. h Mercury found in crayfish in the river near Mar- ion Street in Salem and near the St. John’s Bridge in Portland exceeded DEQ’s human health criterion. h Evidence of the pesticide diuron was found in ev- ery sub-basin of the Willamette. Diuron is an herbi- cide used to control weeds and mosses. h DEQ detected 152 chemicals in sediment collect- ed at a stormwater outfall near Maurie Jacobs Park in Eugene. DEQ emphasized that it is safe to swim in the Wil- lamette River. The Oregon Health Authority issues fish advisories about when it is safe to eat fish. DEQ plans yearly sampling in 11 locations in the fu- ture. Tracy Loew is a reporter at the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at tloew@statesmanjournal.com, 503-399-6779 or on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew. Detroit takes step toward restoring water service Bill Poehler Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK Getting water into the pipes in Detroit will be a ma- jor benchmark in the rebuilding process. The city’s water filtration plant was destroyed in the Lionshead Fire in September, and water distribu- tion lines have been empty for the past two months. The city took a step forward Monday when the City Council opted to lease a membrane filtration unit from Westec and have it installed to use in the short- term. Detroit Mayor Jim Trett said if everything goes well, non-potable water could be pumping back into the city’s lines by December 1. But it won’t be ready for residents to drink by then. It’s going to take longer to determine how much dam- Republicans appear to be holding their monopoly of the Marion County Commission. Danielle Bethell built a sizable lead against Demo- crat Ashley Carson Cottingham for the available Mar- ion County Commissioner seat in Tuesday's election while Libertarian William Johnson Jr. is a distant third. If Bethell wins, she will serve a four-year-term, which pays $103,251 per year, with Republicans Kevin Cameron and Colm Willis. Bethell would fill the seat currently held by Sam Brentano, who did not run for re-election. A Democrat last won election for the seat in 1976. Bethell, 41, has been on the Salem-Keizer School District’s board since 2019. Carson Cottingham, 41, has never held an elected office, but has worked in government and is the dep- uty director, long-term care ombudsman for the State of Oregon. Polk County Commission In the non-partisan race for Polk County Commis- sioner, Lyle Mordhorst leads Danny Jaffer by a sig- nificant margin. Mordhorst, of West Salem, has held the position since being appointed in 2019. Jaffer, of Independ- ence, serves on the Luckiamute Domestic Water Co- operative board. Marion County Clerk Incumbent Bill Burgess leads the race for Marion County Clerk by a commanding 2-1 margin against Danielle Gonzalez. Burgess has won the previous four elections for the position dating back to 2004. Gonzalez has worked for Marion County in eco- nomic development the past five years. The county clerk provides access to and preserves records such as property tax and provides licensing and recording services for things like marriage li- censes. The position’s most visible function is over- seeing elections. Failing levies Two operations levies that failed in the May elec- tion appear to be narrowly failing again. The operations levy for Marion County Fire Dis- trict No. 1 that would tax residents in its operating area 71 cents per $1,000 of assessed property tax val- ue is narrowly failing in early returns. The district had a levy asking voters for 99 cents per $1,000 in the May election, but that failed, and a previous operations levy expired, leading to cuts in staffing. Stayton’s operations levy, which would assess a property tax of 65 cents per $1,000 of assessed value is failing by three votes. The current operations levy runs through June 2021. A levy asking for 70 cents per $1,000 failed in the May election. Similar operations levies were passed by voters in 1998, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016. St Paul, Keizer The St. Paul Fire District’s levy of 85 cents per $1,000 to provide 24/7 paramedic coverage, replace obsolete apparatus and pay for personal protective See COMMISSION, Page 2A See DETROIT, Page 2A Vol. 139, No. 47 Online at SilvertonAppeal.com News updates: h Breaking news h Get updates from the Silverton area Photos: h Photo galleries Serving the Silverton Area Since 1880 A Unique Edition of the Statesman Journal QEAJAB-07403y Bethell Carson Cottingham Mordhorst
