May 17, 2022 4:00 a.m.

Nearly twenty-eight percent of local ballots have been returned for the May Primary Election, as of late Monday.

Douglas County Clerk Daniel Loomis said the 24,413 ballots that have been received lags just over five percent behind the participation rate for the same point in the 2020 primary. Loomis said 5,568 ballots came in on Monday.

The election deadline is Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. Ballots must be turned in by that time or postmarked by May 17th. Loomis said even though voters can still use the U.S. Postal Service, they need to be aware of mail pickup times. If a ballot is placed in a blue USPS mailbox after the last pick-up time for the day, it will not receive a postmark before the election deadline.

Loomis said voters can turn their ballot in prior to 8:00 p.m. at any of the fifteen drop box sites located around the county and be assured it will be received and counted. Drop lox locations are linked: https://douglascounty-oregon.us/179/Official-Drop-Site-Locations