Union County sets May 19 primary election results reporting schedule

Union County has set the clock for its May 19 primary election reporting, telling voters to look for unofficial results after 8 p.m. on election night and to expect updates throughout the night on the county website and the Oregon Secretary of State website.

The public notice, dated April 22, cited Oregon administrative rule OAR 165-007-0550(5) as the basis for the schedule. It said the final report will be posted on or after the 22nd day after the election, and it warned that the timeline could change if the county receives a large number of mail-in ballots.

For Union County voters, candidates and campaigns, the practical takeaway is simple: early numbers will not be the final word. The county’s reporting plan is designed to release unofficial totals as ballots are counted, then continue updating as more returns are processed. That means margins can shift as the night goes on, especially in a county where mailed ballots can arrive and be reported after the first batch of election-night totals. Union County used the same basic reporting pattern in the 2024 primary, with unofficial results posted after 8 p.m. and updated through the evening.

The county’s notice landed during the final stretch before the primary. Oregon’s current election calendar says April 28 is the last day to register to vote or change party affiliation, April 29 is the first day ballots are mailed, and May 19 is Election Day. County elections offices are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. that day, giving voters a final in-person window for election-day business before the first unofficial results are posted after the polls close.

Union County Clerk Lisa Feik is listed on the county elections page, alongside ballot drop site information, ballot postmark rules, precinct maps and candidate information. The county board of commissioners listed on the site includes Paul Anderes, Matt Scarfo and Jake Seavert. In a race year where turnout, mail ballots and late-counted returns can all affect the picture, the county is directing residents to the same two official sources from the start: Union County’s website and the Secretary of State’s site.