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Still time to vote, but not much Photo by Jim Craven Esther Hunter finishes voting Monday at the Ashland Library with an assist from her son Landon, 4. Late ballots could be critical Ashland, Shady Cove measures stand best chance of passing Drop sites If you haven't mailed your ballot for today's election, you may take it to one of four official drop sites. Ballots must be in the hands of elections officials or left at one of the drop sites by 8 tonight to be counted. Postmarks do not count. The sites, and their hours of operation: Jackson County Courthouse , 10 S. Oakdale Ave., Medford. The county payment center, facing the parking lot to the rear of the courthouse off Manzanita Street, is open 24 hours a day. The elections office, in the courthouse annex, is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. today. Ashland Library , 410 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Eagle Point Library , 158 W. Main St., Eagle Point. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Rogue River Library , 412 E. Main St., Eagle Point. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. By DANI DODGE ASHLAND -- Hurriedly munching an apple at a frenetic campaign headquarters Monday, Mayor Cathy Shaw predicted victory for a bond measure to renovate and expand the Ashland library. "We think we're going to make it," she said in the midst of the biggest get-out-the-vote effort in the city's history. The Ashland Library is one of four bond measures on the ballot due in today by 8 p.m. To pass, the measures must get a majority of the vote and a 50 percent turnout in each area. Both Ashland and Shady Cove are nearing the 50 percent marks, according to various counts. Shady Cove voters are deciding whether to pay for a $7.5 million water system. Ashland voters will decide on a $5.96 million bond for the library and on a $3.14 million renovation and expansion of one of the city's fire stations. Countywide, voters are looking at a $16.5 million bond measure for a new juvenile detention facility. The latest figures from Jackson County show that as of Friday, only 27.9 percent of people countywide had voted; 48.4 percent in Shady Cove had cast ballots; while 34.9 percent in Ashland had turned them in. Shaw said, though, another 480 ballots came into the library drop box on Monday. She believes that at least 500 are sitting uncounted at the county election office. "We are just an eyelash away from 40 percent," Shaw said. "One thousand more would do it." Much of Ashland's get-out-the-vote effort has been fueled by volunteers, excited about the prospect either of a bigger and better library or of an improved fire station. Since last week, about 130 volunteers have manned phones at Century 21 in downtown Ashland, and urged people to turn in their ballots. They have called more than 7,000 phone numbers. The volunteers Monday were on their second time through a list of people who hadn't cast ballots. "Hello, I'm a volunteer working to get the vote out for the upcoming Nov. 2 election," said Ilse Forney, a retired nurse amid a cacophony of other volunteers saying "Thank you," "Tomorrow is the deadline" and "We would sure appreciate it." Forney said she got involved in calling because she believes it's important for people to vote. "Otherwise, they have no say-so," Forney explained. Shaw said she knows that some people who are against the bond measure are holding onto their ballots in hopes the campaign won't achieve a 50 percent turnout. But that attitude will end up working in favor of the campaign this time, she hopes. "No-voters are keeping their ballots and yes-voters are turning them in," she said. "So if you turn out 50 percent, you win." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA