Voter Registration Deadline is Today; 3 Weeks Until Election Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 18, 2022

Contact: Jaime Mathis, jaime.clackamasvoice@gmail.com 503-708-3249

West Linn, OR.–Today, October 18 is the last day to register to vote in the November 8 General Election. This election will determine which candidates will represent Clackamas County voters from their Congressperson down to local officials like the County Clerk. 

Registering to vote or checking your information can be done online in a short amount of time by visiting the Oregon Secretary of State website: oregonvotes.gov. Voters already registered can update their voter registration up until 8 pm on Election Day if needed, but the deadline for new voter registrations in Oregon is today, October 18.

You should have received your voters’ pamphlets (both State and County) by now and if you do not, you can obtain them by either stopping by the County Clerk’s office at 1710 Red Soils Court, Suite 100 Oregon City, OR 97045 or calling 503-655-8510 and requesting them via mail.

Catherine McMullen, candidate for Clackamas County Clerk, elections official, and Clackamas County resident has won awards for voter outreach and education. She had the following comment, “Registering to vote is one of the most powerful ways you can shape your local government. Make sure that you vote across your entire ballot because it is often the races on the back and end of the ballot that have the biggest impact on voters’ daily lives.”

Catherine McMullen is a proud union member and public servant. She got her start in public service as a librarian almost 20 years ago and made the move from books to ballots in 2015. The November 8 General Election is the 16th election she’s conducted to date. You can find out more about Catherine’s experience, qualifications, and campaign at: ClackamasVoice.org

This information is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Russian.

Cole Merkel: Why I’m Voting for Catherine McMullen

Cole Merkel, Clackamas County resident recently shared on Twitter why he is voting for Catherine McMullen to be his next County Clerk.

Clackamas County neighbors, with ballots dropping this week, I want to share a story about how I first met Catherine McMullen, why it inspires me to vote for her for Clackamas County Clerk, and why I hope you’ll join me.

A few years & a pandemic ago, when I was running a houseless drop-in center, I got a cold call from Catherine who was building a Multnomah County voter outreach program for historically underrepresented communities. She asked if she could do a registration drive.

She came in on a busy day, registered more than a dozen folks, walked them through the voting process and left behind registration materials and trained staff on how to fill out registration forms for those she’d missed.

A few weeks later, ballots started arriving. I can’t describe how incredible it was for people who were marginalized and disenfranchised for years to have a ballot and feel confident in their right to vote.

It was so successful that Catherine came back every election cycle, ahead of both the primary and the general to make sure folks were registered and had all the tools they needed to successfully cast their ballots.

I’m supporting Catherine McMullen this election because Clackamas County needs a clerk that understands the challenges of hard to reach communities and does everything in her power to make sure they feel empowered in their fundamental right to the ballot.

I’m supporting Catherine McMullen this election because Clackamas County needs a clerk who takes electoral integrity seriously and who will ensure quality control and security in every step of the process.

I’ll end on a personal note. Earlier this year, Nathan and I considered eloping but stopped short when we realized how hard it is to get married at the courthouse. Turns out, the current clerk stopped officiating all marriages when same sex marriage was legalized.

I’m supporting Catherine McMullen for Clackamas County Clerk because she recognizes that all couples have the right to marry and she will resume the practice of officiating weddings in the clerk’s official duties.

Join me in voting Catherine McMullen for County Clerk by November 8.

An Update on the West Linn City Council Election

An update on the #WestLinn City Council ballot mistake from West Linn Tidings: What does a postponed election mean for West Linn City Council?

This error could have been prevented with an extra 15 minutes in early September to review the letter from the City Recorder to the County Elections office, the West Linn City Charter, and then a phone call with a correction. 15 minutes. The County Clerk is afforded that privilege, it’s even in the Oregon Revised Statues – ORS 246.210 County clerk to supervise local elections officials; “a county clerk may exercise general supervision of administration of election laws by each local elections official in the county for the purpose of achieving and maintaining a maximum degree of correctness, impartiality, efficiency and uniformity in the administration by local elections officials. In this regard the county clerk may assist local elections officials in answering questions concerning the proper administration of election laws.”

“”We were told by Clackamas County elections there was no way to run an election in December,” he said. “They can’t produce ballots in time.”


Williams also noted that the city expects to pay $15,000-20,000 for the March election.

Monahan explained that other matters may be placed on the March special election ballot as well, but not a vote for mayor. If Walters were to win her race for the House seat, the mayoral position would be temporarily vacant but the charter states that the vacancy should be filled in the next May or November election.”

Your Voters’ Pamphlet Will Arrive in Mail Soon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 11, 2022

Contact: Jaime Mathis, jaime.clackamasvoice@gmail.com 503-708-3249

West Linn, OR– In partnership with the Oregon Secretary of State, the Clackamas County Clerk is responsible for making certain all households receive a copy of the voters’ pamphlet which provides candidate statements (Read Catherine McMullen’s candidate statement) as well as measure arguments for or against measures found on your ballot. This week voters should be receiving their voters’ pamphlets in the mail and will have a chance to review the candidates and measures they will be voting on before ballots arrive. 

For the November 8 General Election, your local County Voters’ Pamphlet that includes local measures and offices has been mailed separately from your State Voters’ Pamphlet. You should have TWO Voters’ Pamphlets in the mail. Catherine McMullen’s statement to voters is in the Clackamas County Voters’ Pamphlet found on page 10. Federal and State Candidates and Measures can be found in the State Voters’ Pamphlet. County, City, and Local Candidates can be found in the County Voters’ Pamphlet. You can also find more information about candidates in the League of Women Voters website: Vote411.org and just type in your address.

The State and County each issued and mailed their own Voters’ Pamphlets for this election. Look for them BOTH in your mailbox.

If you do not receive your voters’ pamphlets, you can obtain one by stopping by the County Clerk’s Office located at: 1710 Red Soils Ct., Suite 100 Oregon City, OR 97045 or requesting one be mailed to you by calling 503-655-8510. For the first time voting information will be more accessible to voters who speak languages other than English. As a result of the passage of HB 3021 specific portions of the state and county voters’ pamphlets will be available in the top languages of the state and county that voters speak.  

Catherine McMullen, a Clackamas County resident, elections official, and candidate for Clackamas County Clerk emphasized the importance of voters having access to the voters’ pamphlet. 

“The voters’ pamphlet is your guide to getting to know candidates and measures. Voters’ pamphlet statements are written by the candidates and offer important information about their values and qualifications. I encourage voters to take the time to read about their choices and research any questions they may have so they can make an informed choice on their ballot. 

I am especially pleased to see HB 3021 put into action, making voting resources accessible to all eligible voters through translation. As an election administrator who spearheaded language access efforts for voters at the county level since 2016, to now have resources that all voters can use statewide is rewarding. Voters can also access information about voting and my campaign in multiple languages on our website ClackamasVoice.org”

McMullen also stated that she was available to help answer any questions Clackamas County voters might have about how to locate information in the voters’ pamphlet. The Voter Registration Deadline is Tuesday, October 18 and voters should check online at oregonvotes.gov to ensure they are registered to vote at their current address. 

You can reach McMullen and find out more about her campaign in multiple languages at: ClackamasVoice.org

This Press Release is available in Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, and Chinese.

Note: This blog post was updated and corrected on October 15 to reflect that there are two separate Voters’ Pamphlet Statements for this election (County and State).

West Linn City Council election postponed until March 2023 after yet another error on ballots makes the contest invalid.

The West Linn City Council election for two City Council members must be postponed until March 2023 after yet another preventable ballot error on West Linn voters’ ballots has made the contest invalid.

West Linn Tidings’ Holly Bartholomew writes today, October 6:

“Ballots already mailed inadvertently instruct voters to choose one candidate instead of two.

Instead of voting for two new city councilors in the general election this November, West Linn voters will wait until a special election in March to make their decision.

The office of Oregon Secretary State Shemia Fagan released a directive Oct. 6 explaining that ballots printed for the November election inadvertently instructed voters to select one city council candidate instead of two.

“Upon learning of the error, the Elections Division met with officials from the City and County to explore solutions,” the directive stated. “The Elections Division learned that military and overseas ballots have already been issued, and that it is not possible to reprint the remainder of ballots and distribute them in the time required by state law.”

Catherine McMullen, candidate for County Clerk and a West Linn voter, in an inspection of her own ballot noticed the error earlier in the week and notified the West Linn City Recorder, Clackamas County Elections, State Elections Division, and Mayor Walters via email on Wed. October 5;

“It has come to my attention recently that the West Linn City Councilor election for two open City Councilor positions is listed as “Vote for One” on the November General Election ballot and should be “Vote for Two” according to the West Linn City Charter.

I’m concerned that folks like myself will vote for two City Councilors as allowed by Charter and that will be recorded as an overvote and then not counted. I want to make sure that voters have their votes counted.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Please let me know what your guidance will be to West Linn voters.”

While the decision by the Secretary of State to delay the election is disappointing to candidates and voters alike, it is the best course of action to ensure all valid votes can be counted. It is unfortunate that yet another costly error that could have been prevented with basic quality control and preventative measures has slipped by under the current clerk’s supervision.

Catherine McMullen is an experienced elections administrator and will be on your November 8 General Election ballot for Clackamas County Clerk. The Voter Registration Deadline is October 18 for this election and ballots will be mailed out beginning October 19. It is important to vote across your whole ballot and make a choice for County Clerk and other critical local offices.

Catherine urges you to, “note that all other offices and measures on your ballot will be counted, only the race for West Linn City Councilor must be redone in March. Please make sure to vote!“

Vote Across Your Ballot and Make a Choice for County Clerk!

Local elected officials count. Our many local elected officials – City Councilors, County Commissioners, and County Clerk – make the decisions that have the biggest impact on our daily lives, from how to enact policy to setting budgetary priorities, from planning for emergencies to making decisions on day to day operations. Your local elected official is your direct link to local government and community level decision-making.

Local elections count. These local offices that make the most direct impact on your daily life will be found further down your ballot, after the federal and state positions, and even after the state judges. These are also nonpartisan offices with no party affiliation after the candidate’s name.

Many voters forget to vote across the whole ballot or don’t feel as prepared to vote for local races. The same effort, funds, or media coverage is not put into the city council race as the Governor’s race. Accurate and trustworthy information about local contests and candidates is more difficult to find.

Catherine McMullen, Certified Elections Administrator and candidate for County Clerk

As an experienced elections administrator and former public librarian, I recommend these nonpartisan resources for evaluating local candidates:

  • Candidate statements in the State and County Voters’ Pamphlet. This pamphlet is mailed to all households mid-October and available online now.
  • The League of Women Voters Voting Guide and candidate interviews are available online at Vote411.org.
  • Election coverage in established and trusted media such as the local newspaper and news stations. You can do a Google search for the candidate or race and filter results by news.  
  • Consulting with trusted family, friends, and neighbors. Voting is an act of community care and civic engagement.

Vote across your ballot. In the Clackamas County Clerk contest I urge you to use the resources above and make an informed choice for our next County Clerk. This important but overlooked office conducts elections, oversees the Recording office, and can choose to officiate weddings. The County Clerk is the critical connection between the citizen and their local government. This November we have the opportunity to elect a County Clerk that will ensure that local government works for us again, but we have to vote!

In 2018, the last time the current clerk was up for re-election more than 52,000 voters left the County Clerk race blank, choosing neither candidate. Clerk Sherry Hall won re-election by only 5,921 votes. That is a 35% undervote in a race that was won by less than 4%. What that means is that almost two out of every five voters who turned in their ballot, sat out on making a choice for County Clerk, the very office that is responsible for issuing, verifying, and counting that ballot. 

Tuesday, October 18 is the Voter Registration Deadline for the November 8 General Election. Ballots begin to be mailed to voters the next day. I urge you not to sit out on these important local decisions, but to step up and make an informed choice for County Clerk so that we can have the timely, transparent, and trusted elections all Clackamas County citizens deserve.

Catherine McMullen lives in West Linn with her family, is a certified election administrator and candidate for Clackamas County Clerk.

A version of this piece appeared in the Clackamas Review on October 3, 2022, Clerk candidate: Fill in Clackamas County races on your ballot. Sources for Opinion Editorial:

With six weeks to go, the Oregonian Covers the County Clerk Contest

September 27, 2022 Critics see opportunity to oust Clackamas County Clerk Sherry Hall after May election debacle

This year is different. Hall is facing Catherine McMullen, a Multnomah County elections specialist with a long list of endorsements and $125,000 raised so far, more than any of Hall’s opponents since at least 2010. McMullen is running a polished campaign in the county that’s a mix of suburban Portland and rural communities. ..

“Past attempts to unseat Sherry Hall were blamed on partisan antics, but her recent blunders were so dangerous, egregious and so poorly managed that at this point people realize, regardless of party affiliation, that you can either do the job or you can’t. And she can’t,” Lake Oswego Mayor Joe Buck, a Democrat, said in an email…

In an interview, McMullen said her experience makes her the right candidate to replace Hall…

McMullen says she’s mounting a targeted campaign to meet voters face-to-face and plans to debut digital ads and mailers. McMullen also enjoys the full support of local Democratic officials and funders, including the Clackamas County Democratic Party, which has contributed $8,500 through a committee so far. Jan Lee, the party chair, said McMullen is an “outstanding candidate.” McMullen has also raked in funding from local unions and more than $50,000 from the Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors.

McMullen said voters know the county elections office has caused problems, including the May primary snafu, but they might not know which office Hall holds. A lack of interest among voters was apparent in 2018, when more than 52,000 voters who voted in other state and county races skipped marking the county clerk’s race altogether.

Read yesterday’s full article and then share in your networks via email and social media. Urge your friends and family to Vote Across their Whole Ballot and let’s tackle that undervote!

Additional coverage by the Oregonian:

September 13, 2022, Readers respond: McMullen for Clackamas County clerk

August 6, 2022, Clackamas County elections office resends voter pamphlets after error

June 4, 2022, Oregon’s largest election debacle occurred under Sherry Hall. Years of mishaps by her office preceded it

May 23, 2022, Oregon’s secretary of state calls primary election result delays in Clackamas County ‘unacceptable’

Will you be away from home during the election? Request an absentee ballot!

Will you be away from home during the 21 day voting period for the November 8 General Election? You can request an absentee ballot be mailed to the address where you are staying or you can pick up an absentee ballot at your county elections office starting today, Monday, September 26.

Any eligible voter traveling during an election or students attending an out-of-state college can still receive a ballot. Fill out the Absentee Ballot Request Form and return it to your county election office or update your voter registration at OregonVotes.gov, making sure to check “I will be away from home on Election Day.” to add your temporary mailing address for your ballot.

Ballots are mailed to all voters beginning October 19. Ballots cannot be forwarded by USPS. If you do not receive your ballot by October 26 contact your elections office for a replacement ballot.

Make a plan and vote across your whole ballot! Thank you for voting for County Clerk!

Today is UOCAVA Saturday! Ballots are mailed to Uniformed and Overseas U.S. Citizens.

𝘼𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙫𝙤𝙩𝙚. 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙚.

Today is UOCAVA Saturday, that is the day that ballots are mailed out to Uniformed and Overseas voters; to Americans all over the world. The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) requires that Elections Officials mail absentee ballots at least 45 days before Election Day (September 24) to U.S. citizens who are active members of the Uniformed Services, the Merchant Marine, and the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, their eligible family members, and U.S. citizens residing outside the United States.

If you need assistance with receiving your ballot, please contact the elections office. For more information about UOCAVA and voting from outside the U.S. go to FVAP.gov.

If you are going to be away from home during the 21 day voting period you can also request an absentee ballot be mailed to where you are staying or pick up an absentee ballot starting next week at the elections office (Monday, September 26).

Where are you voting from?

Get Registered Today on National Voter Registration Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 20, 2022

Contact: Jaime Mathis, jaime.clackamasvoice@gmail.com 503-708-3249

West Linn, OR– The November 8 General Election is now just weeks away. Today, September 20 is National Voter Registration Day, a nonpartisan celebration of democracy and civic engagement. Today is a great time to make sure you, your family and friends are registered to vote at your current address. 

Checking your voter registration, updating your address, or registering for the first time is easy, quick and can be done online at the Oregon Secretary of State website oregonvotes.gov.

Catherine McMullen, candidate for Clackamas County Clerk and certified elections administrator encourages everyone to take 5 minutes today and invest in their democracy by confirming they are registered to vote. “For democracy to work, citizens have to participate and use their voices through voting. When I am clerk, I will continue to prioritize voter outreach and education so that qualified Clackamas County residents can choose their local and national leaders through our elections process.”

You can find out more about Catherine’s campaign at: ClackamasVoice.org. Read this press release in Spanish, Chinese, Russian, and Vietnamese.