Oregon Holds 1st All-Mail Primary in U.S.

Oregon voters conducting the nation’s first vote-by-mail primary used the occasion to reject limits on damages in personal-injury lawsuits and a new gasoline tax.

The landmark effort was intended to increase voter turnout in a state primary held too late to affect presidential nominations and one without a gubernatorial race this year. As expected, Democrat Al Gore and Republican George W. Bush easily won their parties’ endorsements.

The bigger story was the use of all-mail ballots for the first time in a regular primary election.

Among the propositions defeated Tuesday were ones that would have allowed lawmakers to place limits on how much money people could receive in personal-injury lawsuits and a proposed nickel-a-gallon gasoline tax increase to pay for road repairs.

Late Tuesday, the secretary of state’s office estimated voter turnout at 47%, which would be the highest since the 1992 primary, which had a turnout of 49.1%.

Since the early 1980s, Oregon residents have voted by mail in local elections and special statewide elections. This was the first all-mail, regularly scheduled election.

Two years ago, Oregonians voted to abolish the traditional polling place in all statewide elections in favor of the mail ballot. Supporters say it’s cheaper and more convenient.

Ballots were mailed to voters’ households April 28 and had to be returned to local election offices by 8 p.m. Tuesday to be counted.

Measure 81, a proposal to let state lawmakers cap the amount of money people can receive in personal-injury lawsuits, was rejected by about a 3-to-1 margin. The proposed gas tax increase was drubbed by an even larger margin.