Oregon Official Demands USPS Review After Election Day Mail Failures

Benton County officials and the Oregon Secretary of State are investigating reports that the United States Postal Service failed to collect primary election ballots from 12 mail routes in Corvallis on May 19. The issue emerged after a Corvallis Gazette-Times report and a grievance filed by David Bauer, president of the local National Association of Letter Carriers branch, alleging that postal management instructed 11 employees to prioritize package deliveries over outgoing mail collection.

Darla Rush, the Benton County Clerk, coordinated with USPS leadership in Portland and the Secretary of State's office to determine the impact. Officials identified 388 ballots postmarked after Election Day but within the legal seven-day grace period, a significant increase from 79 in the 2024 primary. Despite the delays, county officials stated the number of affected ballots was not high enough to change election outcomes.

To prevent recurrences in the November general election, Rush is organizing meetings with the Corvallis postmaster and the state elections director. Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read has called for a thorough USPS review of mail pick-up policies to restore public trust. Meanwhile, county officials are urging voters to use official ballot drop sites or mail ballots at least one week before deadlines. Separately, the Benton County Election Manager announced that ballots for the August 4 primary will be mailed on July 15.