ROSEBURG, Ore. (KMTR) -- Ballots came flooding in Monday and county employees don't see the rush slowing down anytime before
8:00 PM Tuesday, which is the deadline to cast your vote.
It's already too late to vote by mail, so people are now hand-delivering their ballots. While many seem to be looking forward to the end of a long election season, people's appreciation of their right to vote has not been lost.
"I look at it as optimistic," says Richard Christenson, a Douglas County voter who turned in his ballot Monday. "I think that we, in this country, have been very blessed with the fact that we can vote."
When asked about his attitude going into Election Day, Christenson says, "The people speak. This is what change is about. If we elect in a new President, or new Congress, and the majority shifts, this represents the trends, the wishes of the people."
Another Douglas County voter who turned in his ballot Monday, Rick Benton, shares this optimistic attitude toward voting and Election Day.
"There's a lot of things going on, a lot of things that need to be dealt with," says Benton. "I suppose [a] person can either have the choice of complaining about the issues or trying to be part of the solution. I think actively involving yourself in voting is trying to be part of that solution."
As of Monday afternoon, Douglas County had 65% voter turnout. That's down 3% in comparison to the same day in 2008, but the elections office expects that percentage to go up substantially on Election Day.
The County Clerk's Office says about 300 Douglas County voters were issued the wrong replacement ballots, but they want people to know they've identified and fixed the problem and made personal calls to those who might have been affected.
