Clackamas County Clerk Sherry Hall speaks at a press conference on Wednesday.
April Erlich / OPB
Clackamas County Clerk Sherry Hall told reporters she had no idea how representative of U.S. Democratic House of Representatives Kurt Schroeder campaign got access her office in front of an opponent campaign and members of in general public last week.
But the video was released on Tuesday shows Hall was on hand in in office when access was provided – and, it seems, talked with in employee who let Schroeder’s employee inside.
Footage released by Clackamas County after requesting records appears to contradict Hall’s statement to reporters. last Friday when she said she had no idea how a Schrader representative got access to building before 8:30, the earliest public election observers were to enter building
“We all come in this door and this possible someone used their badge to get in and someone else could follow them inHall said. in meeting with reporters on Friday, also offering employee in department other than elections office may have been responsible.
Then in at the same meeting, Hall said, “I don’t know how someone got in at 7 on the day in question. we are not know yet.”
Observation camera footage shows elections office employee who county officials identified as Tiffany Clark as she entered building at 7:34 am on May 19. She seems to be having a short conversation. with a man with a briefcase before entering alone.
Although camera corners of all of Clarke’s movements were not provided, footage shows she enters another door and after about 30 seconds she exits with Hall. Clark then returns to building entrance and beckons the waiting man towards her before letting him in. Hall not visible again in five minute video.
Hall did not immediately respond to a request for a video and her previous comments. On Tuesday morning, Hall was asked about remarks. last week, spokesman for Schroeder said, “She probably forgets easily.”
Although there is no indication that Schroeder campaign could do nothing but watch the workers’ elections, the early access caused a complaint to state election officials from campaign of Jamie McLeod-Skinner, who apparently on facet of defeating Schroeder.
The McLeod-Skinner complaint states that a member of her headquarters arrived at the elections office at 8:05 and called bell in public-facing entrance but not allowed in before building open at 8:30. They said the incident constituted unfair treatment and violation of state election law.
Secretary of Shemya Fagan State, state’s highest election official, on Tuesday called the footage “outrageous” given Hall’s claims. last week.
“Absolutely outrageous to stand in front of in public and say one thing and then have a video showing something completely different,” Fagan said. Her office is investigating the McLeod-Skinner complaint.
The incident comes down to another black eye for Hall when she fights with accusations she badly botched the primaries.
As of Clackamas County announced this on Tuesday. votes from 57 550 ballotsrough half of the ones he got for elections May 17, according to district elections website.
Latency seems mixed of bad luck and bad management. hall revealed in early May, which is most of in ballots sent to voters had barcode typos that made them unreadable to voters. vote count machines used by the county. Hall has since admitted she didn’t act with rather urgently in light of that news never had the appropriate staff on hand to effectively duplicate misguided ballots for count. Degree of in problem did not clear until election night, when the state’s third-most populous district was able to identify of results.
The following week, district commissioners, state legislators, Fagan, and Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer strongly criticized Hall’s actions. of printing mess.
On Tuesday, Fagan said she was still waiting for detailed timeline from Hall office as to when the state can expect final results. She assumed she did everything inside of her power help Clackamas County in processing it ballots.
“The time has come for us see this written plan,” Fagan said. “We heard about it for for several days now. This plan will show where they expect to be every single day. We can all hold them accountable.”
Hall said the plan would come out Tuesday night.
With dozens of thousands of votes left count as of Tuesday, many candidates are still waiting for meaningful chunk of results.
This is especially true in Democratic primaries in 5th constituency, where latest results show McLeod-Skinner with significant lead over Schrader, semi-term active. Because about half Democrats in Newly Converted Neighborhood live in Clackamas County, news organizations are not in a hurry officially call in the race and shredder campaign said Tuesday morning he still didn’t concede.
But how more results came out in parties of about 5000 to 10000 ballots in a day, more and more people become comfortable declaring McLeod-Skinner the winner in the area which on the paper leans slightly towards the Democratic.
Tuesday Dave Wasserman, analyst with Cook’s political report, tweeted what race was over, in his eyes. Oregonian/OregonLive notes that the math is extremely bleak. for Schrader.
Meanwhile, Hall could face trouble of her own up for a vote box. regardless elected official it works for Another term in November is facing challenger, Katherine McMullen, who scored her for vote problems.
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