Oregon GOP recruits 1,000 volunteers to collect ballots

Republican volunteers in Oregon will knock on doors this Halloween with a specific task: collecting mail-in ballots from supporters. The effort, organized by a group called GOTV OREGON PAC, seeks to recruit 1,000 people to assist voters in legislative battlegrounds. This marks a tactical shift for state Republicans, who have historically opposed the practice known as ballot harvesting.

The primary target for these volunteers is likely Republican voters in competitive districts. Organizers will urge these individuals to return their ballots by the deadline. If voters agree, the volunteers will take the ballots to drop boxes. The initiative covers areas including Clackamas County, the North Coast, the Columbia River Gorge, and Marion County.

Bryan Iverson, a Republican consultant coordinating the strategy, explained the dual purpose of the outreach. While some voters may keep their ballots, volunteers will provide materials indicating drop box locations and suggested candidates. Iverson noted that this approach addresses a recurring disadvantage in previous elections. He recalled a 2024 Senate race where his candidate recruited dozens of volunteers, only to face a rival campaign with hundreds of labor union supporters.

Iverson said he saw a photo of state Sen. Chris Gorsek with 300 people wearing shirts from the Service Employees International Union. He argued that the GOP cannot compete if Democrats simply scoop up ballots at the last minute. The new committee has raised roughly $60,000, with contributions from six state lawmakers. Volunteers have already signed up for more than 1,000 two-hour shifts.

Ballot harvesting is legal in Oregon if specific rules are followed. The state requires anyone turning in a ballot for another person to do so within two days. In 2018, a labor-affiliated group named Defend Oregon missed this deadline for nearly 100 ballots. The group avoided most of a $95,000 state fine resulting from that error. Since then, Democratic leaders have largely avoided the tactic, citing high risk for limited reward.

Tom Crawford, a spokesman for the Democratic Party of Oregon, stated that Democratic volunteers are focused on helping voters file their ballots out and turn them in by Election Day. He clarified that Democrats are not currently engaging in ballot harvesting, a practice they have not used for several cycles. However, Republicans have kept the issue in the political conversation.

State Sen. Christine Drazan, the Republican gubernatorial nominee, previously introduced a bill to ban ballot harvesting. That bill did not pass in the previous legislative session. A spokeswoman for Drazan's campaign did not respond to inquiries about the strategy. Senate Minority Leader Bruce Starr, who supports the GOTV Oregon effort, described it as complementary to the Drazan campaign. Starr stated that Republicans will win if every Republican ballot is turned in and every nonaffiliated voter votes.

Iverson said the campaign will pay extended-shift workers up to $35 an hour. The organization relies primarily on volunteers for the bulk of the work. He acknowledged that Democrats appear to have momentum this year. Iverson said he would be cautiously optimistic if he were a Democrat, but did not think they would be bullish.