If you're a typical county resident, you haven't yet voted. And that makes you our Rogue of the Week. As of Tuesday, 29 percent of the ballots in Multnomah County had been mailed in to the elections office. That's not bad for an off-year vote-by-mail election, but it's a far cry from what's needed. Elections officials will tally the ballots next Tuesday, Nov. 4. If your ballot is still sitting on your coffee table then, it won't be counted. Actually, that's not true. Failing to mail in your ballot counts as voting against Measure 26-58, the library levy. Measure 47 (and the subsequent legislative rewrite, Measure 50) nullifies any voter-approved tax increase if turnout is less than 50 percent in the election in which it passes. With the election just a week away, the 29 percent figure could spell doom for the library levy. "This is ahead of usual, but usual doesn't get you up to 50 percent," says Mark Wiener, a strategist for the levy. "It's in the doable range, but we are very nervous." We think the 50 percent turnout rule stinks, but Oregon voters are stuck with it for now. Given that, there's no excuse for taking a pass on this important election. |
