The City of Creswell will hold a general election on Tuesday, Nov. 6. There will be four vacancies: one for the position of mayor, a two-year term; and three city councilor positions, which are four-year terms.
Candidates for Creswell mayor are Richard Zettervall and Gary Mounce. To find out more about these candidates, read their biographies and the Q&A forum in last week’s edition.
There are also three positions available for Creswell City Council, with only two filings received. Voters will be asked to vote for three people. The two candidates who filed for councilors are Alonzo Costilla and Kevin Prociw.
On a county level, two are vying for Position 5 for the East Lane County Commissioner, Heather Buch and Gary Williams.
To recap, Buch is a small business owner and a special projects director at St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County. She received a bachelor of arts from Seattle University. Buch’s prior governmental experience includes Eugene Rental Housing Department Advisory Committee; Springfield Manufactured Home Park Collaborative; co-chair of Auctive Bethel Citizens Neighborhood Association; and Beltline Facility Plan Stakeholder Advisory Committee.
Williams is a Lane County Commissioner and has been a small business owner for 35 years. Williams’ prior governmental experience includes mayor of Cottage Grove for 12 years; Cottage Grove city councilor; president of the League of Oregon Cities; president of Oregon Mayors Association; member of the Oregon Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee; and member of the National League of Cities Public Safety and Crime Prevention Committee.
If you haven’t mailed your ballot yet, it’s too late to do so. However, Lane County Clerk Cheryl Betschart suggests voters return their ballots to one of the many official ballot drop sites available, or turn them in at the Elections Office at 275 W. 10th Avenue, Eugene. Creswell City Hall has a drive-by drop box, located at 64 W. Oregon Ave.
With an increase in the number of registered voters in Lane County, it may take more time this year for the United States Postal Service to process and deliver ballots – making it critical for voters who choose to mail their ballots to allow adequate time for processing and delivery.
Betschart shared several important reminders for voters to follow as they get their ballots ready to return. ”Please call our office if you have any questions prior to casting your vote,” she said. ”We want to make sure all registered voters can have their votes counted.”
Each voter must sign the ballot return identification envelope that lists the voter’s printed name and address. Sign the ballot envelope in the same manner as your most current voter registration card.
”Lane County Elections wants to remind registered voters to review both sides of their official ballot. All registered voters will have additional voting opportunities on the back of their ballot,” said Betschart in a release. ”Once a ballot has been returned it cannot be amended or recast.”
Your ballot must be filled out and physically received by the county elections office by 8 p.m. on Nov. 6. Postmarks do not count.
To track your ballot or to find your nearest drop box, visit www.oregonvotes.gov/myvote. Those with election-related questions should contact Lane County Elections at 541-682-4234.