Oregon Reports 65% Voter Turnout By Mail

More than 65 percent of voters participated in Oregon’s groundbreaking vote-by-mail election and state officials saved $1 million by eliminating polling places, numbers that impressed some observers around the country.

“I suspect this is the opening of the door,” Montana Secretary of State Mike Cooney said Wednesday. “Barring some unforeseen problems that call into question the integrity of the process, I suspect this will be examined very closely and possibly expanded into other states.”

The 65.8 percent turnout in Tuesday’s election of Democrat Ron Wyden to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Bob Packwood was a record for a special election in Oregon.