Salem Special Election Update: All 35 Annexations Measures Passing Easily

There will be 32 more city annexation measures on the various types of ballots sent to Salem residents for the upcoming November General election.

Salem City Hall Photo by: Tim King

(SALEM) - The ballots for Tuesday’s Special Salem Annexation election are continuing to be counted at the Marion County Elections Division. Voters were being asked to approve 35 city council-initiated annexations throughout the city. Marion County Election Supervisor Sharon Ricks says she is expecting a 30 percent voter turnout, while Marion County Elections Clerk Bill Burgess expects only a 20 percent turnout. There are 55,675 registered active voters in Marion County. As of Tuesday morning, the Marion County Elections Division has processed 11,386 ballot envelopes, another 400 were awaiting to be scanned from 55,647 Salem voters in Marion County. A 20 percent return rate Burgess says the county has never had an exclusive annexation election with so many measures. “I’m unsure as to if many voters would be willing to work through all these measures, especially coinciding with the end of summer, beginning of the school year and so many families getting into a new routine” Burgess said. “Maybe our unfortunate and incorrect tax verbiage on the outer envelope, resultant news coverage, our press releases and mailing post cards to Salem voters stimulated a greater turnout.” “We have received a lot of complements from voters on the helpfulness of the Marion County Voter's Pamphlet in dealing with these annexation measures” Burgess said. There will be 32 more city annexation measures on the various types of ballots sent to Salem residents for the upcoming November General election. County-wide the elections division will be sending 87 different ballot styles, determined by the voter's specific residential address. “We have not calculated the number of different ballot styles necessary within the City of Salem yet.” “Each Salem voter's cover envelope will contain the verbiage "Contains Vote On Proposed Tax Increase" as required by Oregon law due to concurrent tax measures on their ballots. “Most cover envelopes county-wide will also have the 'Proposed Tax Increase' statement.” Burgess said.