May 4, 2022 4:00 a.m.

Ballots are trickling in for the May Primary Election.

Douglas County Clerk Daniel Loomis said as of late Tuesday, 2,051 ballots have been returned. That is 2.33 percent of those registered to vote, lagging .43 percent behind the participation rate for the same point in the May 2020 Primary Election.

Loomis reminded voters that the optional secrecy sleeve is no longer included because the ballot return envelope has been enhanced with a printed security weave that protects the privacy of a voter’s ballot. Voters should only use the ballot return envelope when turning in a ballot. Loomis said the change will save money and staff time.

Douglas County now has 88,013 registered voters. It is the 9th largest county in Oregon, by population.