Ballots are due by 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3. Besides the statewide measures and candidate races, voters in parts of Eastern Oregon will decide local measures including two fire district levies in Umatilla County, a Pendleton fire and ambulance levy, amendments to Hermiston's city charter, a 5-cent fuel tax and a council election change in La Grande, three charter amendments in Elgin, a psilocybin business ban in Joseph, and a higher ambulance district charge across Malheur County. Each measure appears only on the ballots of voters who live inside the district or city that referred it.
Returning your ballot
The Oregon Secretary of State lists 8 p.m. Nov. 3 as the last time to return a ballot, and the last recommended day to mail one was Oct. 27. The state voters' pamphlet recommends an official drop box, and drop boxes stay open until 8 p.m. on Election Day; voters in line at 8 p.m. may still drop off their ballot. In Malheur County and the parts of the region on Mountain time, that is 8 p.m. Mountain. A mailed ballot counts if it is postmarked by Election Day and reaches the county by Nov. 10, and the pamphlet notes that a post office will apply a free manual postmark. Every official drop site in the five counties is on the state's drop site list, and county elections offices are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, according to the pamphlet.
The deadline to register for this election was Oct. 13. Voters already registered can update their registration until 8 p.m. on Election Day, though a late change may mean picking up a ballot at the county elections office. My Vote shows whether a ballot has been received. If a ballot is lost or damaged, the pamphlet says to call the county elections office for a replacement.
Umatilla County
The Umatilla County Elections Division is in the basement of the courthouse, Room 18, 216 SE 4th St., Pendleton, 541-278-6254. The county has 11 drop sites. Its contest listing shows four local measures.
Measure 30-175: Umatilla County Fire District #1 operating levy
Voters inside Umatilla County Fire District #1 decide whether the district should collect a new five-year property tax for operations. The ballot title asks: "Shall District impose $0.89 per $1,000 of assessed value for five years beginning 2027-28 to fund general operations?" It adds that the measure "may cause property taxes to increase [more] than three percent."
The ballot title says the district has no current operating levy and that the new levy would keep current paramedic, EMT and firefighter staffing, including 16 positions now paid by a temporary FEMA grant that the ballot title says expires in 2028 (the district's levy page says 2027). Without the levy, the ballot title says, "at least 16 total paramedic, EMT, and firefighter positions" would be eliminated and one fire station would close for 24-hour staffing. It estimates the levy would raise about $2.63 million in 2027-28, rising to about $2.96 million in 2031-32, about $13.96 million over five years. The district's levy page puts the cost for a median assessed-value home at $14 a month, or $168 a year.
Measure 30-176: Pilot Rock Fire District levy renewal
Voters inside Pilot Rock Fire District 7-401 decide whether to renew the district's five-year local option tax at its current rate. The ballot title asks: "Shall the District continue to impose $0.82 per $1,000 of assessed value to maintain its current level of service?" The summary says the renewal "does not increase the tax" and would keep paying for the district's Quick Response Team and firefighter protective equipment; without it, the summary says, Quick Response Team funding would end, along with local ambulance service.
Measure 30-177: City of Pendleton fire and ambulance levy
Voters inside Pendleton city limits decide a five-year levy for Pendleton Fire and Ambulance that the Pendleton City Council voted unanimously on Aug. 4 to refer. The question, as posted on the city's levy page, asks: "Shall Pendleton Fire and Ambulance levy $1.29 per $1,000 assessed value for five years beginning in 2026/27 for emergency services?" It adds that the measure "may cause property taxes to increase more than three percent."
The summary says the levy would raise about $1.62 million a year, citing a 64% increase in the department's call volume, and would pay for six firefighter-paramedics, a mechanic for engines and ambulances, a fire prevention inspector, a data analyst and grant writer, and equipment such as cardiac monitors and thermal imaging cameras. The city says the owner of a home at the district's median assessed value of $157,000 would pay about $16.88 a month, or $202.50 a year, and that the levy would raise about $8.1 million over five years.
Measure 30-178: City of Hermiston charter amendments
Voters inside Hermiston city limits decide whether to amend the city's 2015 charter, according to the city's notice of measure election. When the Hermiston City Council approved the package in May, Elkhorn Media Group reported that the changes go to voters as a single yes-or-no question and include setting ward boundaries by ordinance, having ward councilors elected only by voters in their ward, having the council appoint the municipal judge rather than voters electing one, choosing a council president each year, giving a new city manager 12 months to establish residency, having the city manager supervise the city attorney day to day, requiring a charter review at least every 10 years, and aligning the charter with the League of Oregon Cities model.
Union County
The Union County Clerk is at 1001 Fourth St., Suite D, La Grande, 541-963-1006. The county's election results page lists five local measures, all in La Grande and Elgin.
Measure 31-128: La Grande fuel tax
Voters inside La Grande city limits decide: "Shall City of La Grande impose a five-cent per gallon local fuel tax for street maintenance, sunsetting after five years?" According to the ballot title, the 5-cent tax would apply to motor vehicle fuel sold in the city, on top of state and federal fuel taxes, and the money would go only to maintaining and improving city streets and transportation infrastructure. It would take effect July 1, 2027, and end June 30, 2032, unless voters renew it. The ballot title says it does not raise property taxes and does not apply to fuel bought outside the city. Elkhorn Media Group reported in July that the city estimated the tax would raise about $830,000 a year.
Measure 31-127: La Grande council and mayor elections
La Grande voters also decide: "Shall La Grande voters amend the existing Charter to modify the election process for councilors and Mayor?" According to the ballot title, council seats would no longer have position numbers, and the candidates with the most votes would be elected; the ballot title notes this does not create ranked-choice voting. The amendment would also eliminate the primary election for mayor and council and have the council fill vacancies by appointment for the rest of the term. The city's elections page posts the charter with the proposed changes marked.
City of Elgin charter amendments
Voters inside Elgin city limits decide three separate charter amendments, Measures 31-124, 31-125 and 31-126:
- City administrator: "Shall Elgin voters amend the existing Charter to change the City Administrator selection process and responsibilities?" Under the ballot title, the mayor would appoint and remove the city administrator with a council vote, as specified by contract; the administrator's duty would change from signing all orders on the treasury to overseeing management of the treasury; and the administrator would also be the city recorder, with the council able to split the two roles.
- Committees: "Shall Elgin voters amend the existing Charter to give the Mayor the power to appoint City Committee Members?" The mayor would appoint and remove all city committee members with a council vote (ballot title).
- Candidate filing: "Shall Elgin voters amend the existing Charter to extend the election filing period from 3 weeks to 12 weeks?" (ballot title).
Wallowa County
The Wallowa County Clerk is in Room 100 of the courthouse, 101 S. River St., Enterprise, 541-426-4543 ext. 1158. The county's drop sites are 24-hour boxes at Wallowa City Hall, 104 N. Pine; Joseph City Hall, 201 N. Main; and the courthouse in Enterprise, all open until 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Joseph psilocybin business ban
Voters inside Joseph city limits decide: "Shall Joseph prohibit psilocybin-related businesses in the City of Joseph?" The city's notice of ballot title says state law lets a city council refer such a ban to voters, and that approval "would prohibit the establishment of psilocybin product manufacturers and/or psilocybin service center operators" in the city.
Baker County
The state voters' pamphlet edition for Baker County lists no local measures. The Baker County Clerk is at 1995 Third St., Suite 150, Baker City, 541-523-8207, with a 24-hour drive-up box in the Fourth Street courthouse driveway. On Election Day, the drop sites at Community Connection, 2810 Cedar St., Baker City, are open 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 8 p.m.; Halfway City Hall, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Huntington City Hall, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Richland City Hall, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 8 p.m.
Malheur County
The Malheur County Clerk is at 251 B St. West, Suite 4, Vale, 541-473-5151. The state's drop site list shows 24-hour boxes at the courthouse drive-thru at C and Bryant streets in Vale, the Ontario Community Library, the Nyssa City Library, and 501 Yturri Blvd. in Jordan Valley, all open until 8 p.m. Mountain time on Election Day.
Measure 23-76: Malheur County Ambulance Service District charge
All Malheur County voters decide: "Shall the annual ASD charge gradually increase over three years from $16 to $31 for homes/businesses?" The district covers the whole county, including its cities, and the charge is its only source of money, according to the explanatory statement from the Malheur County Court, which governs the district. The ballot title summary in the voters' pamphlet says the charge has been $16 a year since 1996.
For each house, apartment, manufactured home and assisted living unit, the charge would rise to $21 in 2027, $26 in 2028 and $31 in 2029, then stay at $31 until voters approve a change. Businesses would pay the same base charge plus a per-employee charge rising from $1.50 to $3; RV parks, motels and hotels would pay a per-space or per-room charge rising from $2 to $5. The summary says the charges would appear on property tax statements starting in October 2027. The county projects district revenue rising from $190,000 in 2026-27 to $380,000 in 2029-30, to pay for a full-time district director, the supervising physician, medical supplies, and ambulance replacement, training and equipment for the county's ambulance and first-response agencies. No arguments for or against were filed in the voters' pamphlet.
