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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels October 16, 2004 Early birds strike as first Oregon ballots already cast EUGENE (AP) - A record number of Oregon voters began receiving their ballots in the mail on Friday. And while every registered voter has until Nov. 2 to cast that ballot, some early birds couldn't wait to fill them out and drop them off over the weekend. Their reasons for doing so were as varied as the federal, state, county and city candidates and issues appearing on the ballot. Julie Novkov of Eugene said her motive was to get her name removed from get-out-the-vote phone bank calls. "I want to make certain my vote is in and counted because this is such an important election," she told the Register-Guard newspaper. She deposited her ballot at a drop box outside the Lane County Annex in downtown Eugene. Novkov, a political science professor at the University of Oregon, said she cast her vote for Sen. John Kerry in the presidential sweepstakes. Meanwhile, across town, Jim Callahan was running a few errands when he decided to drop off his ballot at the box outside the Sheldon branch library in north Eugene. "I was ready to vote and the last-minute commercials weren't going to make me change my mind," said Callahan, who cast his vote for President Bush. Polls show the presidential race a virtual toss-up nationally, with the result potentially coming down to Oregon and a handful of other swing states. Bush supporters Tony and Joyce Marr of Veneta are leaving on vacation soon and decided to deposit their ballots before catching a Sunday matinee. "We had (the ballots) in the car so we decided to get it out of the way," Tony Marr said. UO student Eliot Jenkins said he couldn't wait for his ballot to arrive in the mail so he could cast his vote for Kerry. "I'm a Boston lad and (Kerry's) all right in my book," said Jenkins, a business major. Nancy Pottker of Eugene, meanwhile, had her own motive for casting her ballot early. "I work at the Election Board and I know how much of a hassle it is when the ballots come in late," she said. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams