The 2022 midterm election is seven weeks away. And while local elections offices are trying to get ready for that, they are seeing a trend.
Not about 2022. But about interest — still — in the aftermath of the 2020 election.
“The records requests have really increased since November 2020,” Deschutes County Clerk Steve Dennison. “They started in December 2020. We’ve had requests for voter files, voter records as well as information from our voting system.”
Secretary of State Shemia Fagan says these record requests, which have increased all over Oregon, are about “the big lie” — the false claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.
Dennison says the concern is that these requests will take the focus away from the election this November: “All I want to do, all we would like to do, is move forward.”
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The clerk says he is happy to answer public records requests, but also wants to bring the attention to this next election.
As for that election, Tuesday was National Voter Registration Day. A few minutes of your time is all it takes to make sure you can fill out a ballot in November.
“Today is a great day for voters to go online and verified that they are, in fact, registered to vote,” said Dennison.
You can check your voter status by visiting Oregonvotes.gov, and you can register by filling out a registration card. These cards can be found at the county clerk’s office.
Everyone Central Oregon Daily spoke with in Downtown Bend said they were registered and up-to-date with their information.
“We are registered to vote and all of our information is up to date,” said Martin Luber.
“I actually went online yesterday to make sure I was registered to vote and to see if it was up to date, and it was so I am registered,” said Carrie Woolard.
“I am registered to vote and all my information is current,” said Rick Burton.
The last day to register is October 18.
