In a surprising turn of events, Multnomah County experienced a flood of last-minute voting during the primary election, leading to a potential turnout of 35%. The county, which is home to over half a million registered voters, had received only about 105,000 ballots by the end of business on Monday. However, an astonishing 93,600 ballots poured in on Tuesday and Wednesday, either through in-person drop-offs or via mail.

The surge in voting on the final day of the election far surpassed the numbers seen in previous years. In 2020, the county received 75,000 ballots on Election Day, and in 2022, that number rose to 80,000 when including ballots received on and after Election Day. With mail ballots still arriving throughout the week, there is a possibility that the final count could be even higher.

This year's primary marked the implementation of a new rule in Oregon, allowing ballots postmarked on Election Day to be counted if they reach the election office within seven days. Multnomah County voters heavily relied on the mail-in option this year, with a significant increase in the number of mailed ballots. County spokesperson Denis Theriault stated that 23,600 ballots will reach the tabulation center via the postal service on Wednesday alone, surpassing the previous record of 13,000.

One of the reasons for the increase in mailed ballots is a change that came into effect in 2020, eliminating the need for voters to put a stamp on their ballots. Ballot return envelopes are now marked as postage-paid, with the state covering the postage fees.

However, this surge in last-minute voting has caused a delay in the election result process. Elections workers were unable to begin the lengthy process of verifying signatures, opening envelopes, and tabulating votes until after the initial results were made public on election night at 8 p.m. As a result, there is a heightened sense of uncertainty regarding the winners and losers in close contests.

Denis Theriault emphasized that some close races may not be decided as quickly as in previous years. The county election office, which employs up to 200 on-call workers during busy election periods, expects to release updated results by 6 p.m. on Wednesday. However, the tabulation of the tens of thousands of unopened ballots is not expected to be completed until later in the week.

This unprecedented surge in last-minute voting in Multnomah County has showcased the keen interest and active participation of its residents in shaping the political landscape. The final results of the primary election will be eagerly awaited, providing a clearer picture of the outcomes in these closely contested races.