Did Every Vote Count?

Benton County responds to ballot pickup concerns...

Jul 09, 2026

www.corvallisnow.com

Earlier this week, it was revealed that an unknown number of ballots were not collected from residential mailboxes on Election Day. This happened after postal employees on 12 of Corvallis’s 38 mail routes were instructed to prioritize package deliveries over outgoing mail pickups due to staffing shortages.

Photo: Benton County Record and Elections

This prevented those ballots from receiving the Election Day postmark… this postmark is required under Oregon law to be counted. Now, Benton County Clerk Darla Rush says she is taking the issue directly to state and federal officials.

A county news release was issued on Wednesday. This release stated that Rush contacted the U.S. Postal Service’s representative in Portland immediately after reading about the reported mail collection problems. The issue was elevated to senior USPS leadership.

Rush also forwarded the information to the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office, where election staff are now expected to review the situation as well.

With Oregon’s November general election approaching, Rush says her priority is making sure every eligible ballot mailed on time receives the required postmark and has the opportunity to be counted.

To that end, she has requested a meeting later this week involving USPS representatives, the Corvallis postmaster Nicole Archer, and the Secretary of State’s elections director to discuss the issue and procedures ahead of the fall election.

The county is also planning a public education campaign aimed at reducing the risk of voters being affected by postal delays.

“Our primary message will encourage voters to use one of the county’s 17 official ballot drop sites whenever possible,” Rush said in the release. “If you do mail a ballot, follow the Secretary of State’s direction, do it at least one week before Election Day.”

Benton County says election staff will hold community outreach events this fall to answer questions about voting options and help residents understand the safest ways to return their ballots.

The county itself does not collect ballots from residential mailboxes, the post office does, but it does operate official ballot drop locations throughout the area, where ballots can be returned directly without relying on postal collection schedules.

It still remains unclear how many ballots were affected. A list of Benton County ballot drop boxes can be found below and at the link here.

Corvallis

Kalapuya Building (Records & Elections Office) - 4500 SW Research Way (rear parking lot drop box)
OSU Gill Coliseum - 660 SW 26th St (Ralph Miller Lane & 26th St)
Lincoln Health Center - 121 SE Viewmont Ave
Benton County Courthouse - 120 NW 4th St
Law Enforcement Building - 180 NW 5th St
LBCC Benton Center - 757 NW Polk Ave
Corvallis Community Center (C3) - 2601 NW Tyler Ave
Wells Fargo at Timberhill Shopping Center - 2543 NW Kings Blvd
City Limits Market - 5800 NW Highway 99W