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About North Douglas herald. (Drain Or) 2023-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2024)
Page 6 North Douglas Herald April 2024 Drain Needs YOU! Community Pages 2024 Oregon Elections: Vote - Run for Office By Rusty Savage As the Oregon Primary Election draws near, May 21st, the North Douglas Herald is hearing from a variety of sources. From folks inquiring about candidates, candidates messaging and campaigning for voters and general and specific questions from citizens on the nuts and bolts of and differences in the Primary election in May and the General election on November 5th. Although, the Herald isn’t endorsing any candidates at this time, we feel it’s important to give our readers some insight on who is running for local and state offices as best we can. Additionally, because voting is a right, privilege and obligation of our citizens that isn’t always easy to carry out. Generally it’s due to a lack or loss of information and communication or perhaps some other obstacle. So here is what we came up with. First of all you must be eligible to vote in the State of Oregon. To be eligible to vote you must be: a resident of Oregon, a US citizen (or will become one by Election Day)and at least 16 years of age (If you are 16 years of age, you will not receive a ballot until an election occurs on or after your 18th birthday.) For Incarcerated Voters & Returning Citizens, in Oregon, you only lose your right to vote if you are currently incarcerated for a felony conviction. If you lost your voting rights because of a conviction, you could register to vote immediately after release. Your voting rights are not restricted by pretrial detention, misdemeanors, probation, or parole. Voters without a traditional residence, you must provide a residence address on the voter registration form, but this address may be any location in the county that describes their physical location. This could be a shelter, park, motor home, or another identifiable place. The county clerk’s office can be the mailing address of a person experiencing homelessness or residing where mail service is unavailable. Voters can pick up their ballot at the county elections office. Next, you have to be registered to vote. To register to vote online you will need an Oregon driver license, permit or ID card number issued by the Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services Division (DMV). If you do not have an Oregon driver license, permit or ID card, you can still use the online voter registration application. The information you enter will display on a voter registration card (PDF document) that you will need to print, sign and deliver to your county elections office to complete your registration. There is a registration deadline, a new registrant must submit their online registration by 11:59:59 p.m. Pacific Time on the 21st calendar day before an election to be eligible to vote in that election. Alternative to Registering Online. Instead of registering to vote online you can complete a Voter Registration form and return it to your county elections office. The voter registration deadline for in-person is April 30, 2024. By mail, it should be received by April 30, 2024 and Online is April 30, 2024. The absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline for in-person: May 21, 2024 and by mail, it must be postmarked by May 21, 2024. The polls open on Election Day from 7: 00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Elections for the Oregon House of Representatives and State Senate will take place in 2024. The general election is on November 5, 2024. The primary is May 21, 2024. For State Primary candidates, the filing deadline was March 12, 2024. There are county and municipal elections that will take place both in the Primary and in the General elections. Candidates running for offices in the May election were required to have filed with Douglas county election officer prior to March 12th. For those who want to run for municipal office in the General elections, have until August 27th to file with City Elections officer. In Douglas county, for the county offices, there are candidates for County Clerk - Dan Loomis (R), Samantha Frost (R): for County Sheriff - John Hanlin (Incumbent) (NonPartisan), Gregg Kennerly (NonPartison), Brad O’Dell(NonPartison): for County Treasure - Samuel W Lee III (R): for Justices of the Peace for Canyonville, Machelle Briggs-Mayfield (NonPartison) and forReedsport, Kathleen K Miller. The Primary candidates for State offices in the House and Senate who win their party bid in the May, will go on to the General election in November. In the Senate races in District 1, Sen. David Brock Smith, R-Port Orford, faces a four-way primary fight in the 1st Senate District, which includes Curry and parts of Coos and Douglas counties. Brock Smith served six years in the House before he was appointed to the Senate in 2023 to finish the term of former Sen. Dallas Heard. His opponents are former Roseburg City Councilor Ashley Hicks, Navy veteran and frequent candidate Paul Romero and logger Todd Vaughn. The neighboring 2nd District, which includes Josephine and parts of Douglas and Jackson counties, will feature a primary between Rep. Christine Goodwin, R-Canyonville, and Noah Robinson, son of disqualified Sen. Art Robinson, R-Cave Junction. A group of Josephine county voters sued late last week to keep Goodwin off the ballot, claiming she doesn’t live in the district. Goodwin denied those allegations, and a hearing wasn’t scheduled in time to affect the primary. In the House races, for District 1 - Bret Cecil (D) is challenging incumbent Court Boice(R). In District 2 - Virgle Osborne is still in term. In District 4 - Richard Chasm (D) and Alek Skarlatos (R) are competing for the seat vacated by Christine Goodwin (R), who is retiring to run for State Senate. In District 9 - Erik Schuttpelz (D) running against incumbent Boomer Wright (R). I am covering Drain municipal elections here, which will be on the ballots of the general election in November. The North Douglas Herald will dedicate the next few issues to try and cover as many local candidates in towns and cities across our coverage area. For this article, we’ll cover the City of Drain. To begin with, I want to thank the Drain Elections Officer, Penny Jenkins for her patience and thoroughness in providing details and information regarding her duties and the details and steps and requirements for elections in Drain. Penny is also the City Recorder in her official capacity. There are 5 elected public offices functioning in the City of Drain. The Mayor serves a 2 year term and the four Council persons serve 4 year terms. These are staggered so that every 2 years, two of the seats are open for election. In November, the Mayor and 2 council seats are up for election. At this time (the 3rd of April) There are no filings for these 3 offices. Of the offices open: There is the current Mayor, Erin Sparhawk. The Council position #1 is currently Grant Vaugn who was appointed 3/22 when it was vacated by the previously elected council person. Also Council position #3, Katie Decker, also appointed 9/22 due to vacancy. This is the protocol for vacated council seats - application to and then elected by the Mayor and City Council to serve the remainder of vacated seats term. Of the two remaining seats, Council position 2 - Kevin VanPelt was elected in 2022 and will serve until 2026. Council position 4 - Aaron Lymath was also elected in 2022 and serves until 2024. According to Penny the process has 2 options. For any open office you can, either apply with the Candidate Petition Submission (CPS) and pay a $10 fee or apply with the CPS and a separate Signature Form with at least 25 signatures and no fee. As with the requirements of the general election the deadline to apply is August 27th. You can pick up either of the forms and get detailed information at the Drain City Hall at 431 Payton Avenue in Drain, the same office where you pay your electric bill. Just ask for Penny and she will ensure that you are informed on the requirements for office and the general process and other details. Our democracy is a citizen lead government and this is an opportunity for residents of Drain to lean in and be part of the great machinery of self governance. If you have eye to step out into a political career, local politics is the greatest introduction into that arena. Or perhaps you have a passion or dedication to serving, improving or leading in your community. You know, see a wrong and try to right it, have a vision and a will to achieve it, or maybe it’s just your turn to try your hand at working to help make your community a better, safer and livable place for your family, business,neighbors and visitors. So make sure to get registered to vote, learn about and support your candidates and consider petitioning for an office yourself. The democratic experiment requires participation and if you want to engage in yours and your childrens and neighbors future, well that’s how we make it work. Ballots and Voters Pamphlets will be mailed out 14-18 days prior to election day. You can mail your ballot as long as it is postmarked by November 5th, If you want to drop off your ballot, the ballot box is at City Hall and must be in the box by 8:00pm on November 5th. The ballots are then transferred to Douglas county elections office by 2 sworn election officials and is counted at the Douglas county Elections Office. If you have questions about voting, wherever you are. Check with you city Elections Officer or with your County. If you can, look at the issues and the candidates, get informed. Voting is the first civic duty and it’s essential. Be A Team Player Join A Committee By Rusty Savage Did you know that things can’t get done without you? It’s true, the things that we need and enjoy in this town aren’t often the result of one individual’s sole efforts. You’ve heard that it takes a Village? Well that’s a little out of context because we’re not talking about raising kids. I am talking about the committees and organizations that bring us the enhancements of our lives that makes a community thrive. Have you been dismissive of the value and need for, say the North Douglas Fair? It’s because the Fair committee needs you to be a part of what can make it great again. Have you been to the cemetery lately? Does it look OK? If not, it’s because the Cemetery committee doesn’t have you there to see to it’s improvements and embellishments. What about the Civic Center Committee, are you waiting on them to come up with new ideas and events that you care about? It’s because they need you to join them and become a part of the answer to your own questions. See something needing to be done for this towns improvement? Yep, the Planning Commission is calling your name. What’s up with the decline of businesses around here? Oh yea, that’s what the Chamber of Commerce is for - but wait they need your input to get their momentum going. There’s no shortage of need for you to volunteer and join with like minded people, like your neighbors. No that need is long and there’s an empty position just waiting for you to step up. You’ll like the result, the feeling of belonging and the satisfaction of action. There are plenty of committees and citizen groups looking for people and you will fit in somewhere, I have no doubt. Just today I had a couple of folks come to the office to talk to me about the group they want to form. After the Icemegedden in January, Snowmegedden a few years ago, recent wild fires and floods, well the truth is - folks get caught off guard and need help. There is no shortage of good people helping in times of hardship and disaster. This group wants to organize preparedness as well as gathering people and resources to get things done in those times. I promise, there is no shortage of groups that need you. Want to know what’s available? Where you might fit in? Do you have an area of interest? Do you want to find a cause. Shoot the Herald an email and I will try to point you in the right direction. You may not even know it, but you are needed. It’s time to get involved. Send us an email - citizens@ndherald.com. Yoncalla Rodeo Continued from Page 1 The Yoncalla Rodeo & Equestrian Association would like to welcome community members to join the association and help with the Yoncalla Rodeo. Volunteers are what makes the association a success and what also helps preserve the Rodeo way of life. It is not a requirement that members live within the Yoncalla area. The YREA meets once a month on the third Tuesday of the month at the Yoncalla Community Center located at: 400 Main Street, Yoncalla, Oregon. 97499. As the weather improves, the meetings will move to the Yoncalla Rodeo Grounds. Should anyone have any questions in regards to the YREA please feel free to give Randy Thompson a telephone call at: 541-784-8667. Follow our Facebook page for meeting reminders and updates for Rodeo sign- ups, dates/times, and volunteers and vendors opportunities.
