PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Oregon Secretary of State issued a directive for Yamhill County to conduct a new election for Newberg City Council after the race was incorrectly printed on ballots, according to the Secretary of State’s Elections Division.
The Elections Division said the error concerns three Newberg City Council positions in districts 2, 4 and 6.
“Those positions are elected at large, so every district should appear on the ballot for every Newberg voter. However, the races for Districts 2, 4, and 6 are printed only on the ballots sent to registered voters in each district, respectively. For example, the race in District 2 appears only on the ballots of voters who are registered in District 2,” the Elections Division said.
In a press release, the Yamhill County Clerk’s Office said it was made aware of the ballot error for Newberg residents after 5 p.m. Thursday. The office stated that its members convened a response team with the City of Newberg and the Oregon Secretary of State’s Elections Division to remedy the ballot mishap.
The Secretary of State’s directive instructs the county to conduct a new election for the three City Council positions on or before Dec. 20, 2022, in which all Newberg voters will receive a ballot listing the three City Council races.
Despite the misprint for Newberg residents, the county clerk’s office said voters “can still vote their current ballot as they normally would,” adding that only City of Newberg Council races were impacted.
The state’s directive says, “the County shall not report results for the Newberg City Council contests that appear on the November 8, 2022 ballot, and the City of Newberg shall not certify results for those contests.”
The Elections Division said all other contests and measures on the Nov. 8 ballot will not be impacted and will proceed.
The Secretary of State also directed coordination between the City of Newberg and Yamhill County to notify affected voters about the directive by mail.