Oakland Democratic Precinct Person

     Perhaps the biggest surprise or shock for me during the past month came to me this past week. It had nothing to do with the Douglas County Commissioner's race, my stage four cancer, or the Medford teachers strike. It came from the Douglas County Clerk's office:

     I have been nominated/elected to be the Democratic Party precinct person for Oakland.

     The Douglas County Clerk's office sent me a letter, stating I had received the most write-in votes for the Democratic position. I am currently registered as a Republican, so I had no idea that there were no Democratic candidates on the Democratic ballot to represent the Oakland voting precinct. What makes this even more incredulous is that four years ago, I received the most write-in votes on the Republican ballots to be the Republican precinct person for Oakland. I was the Republican precinct person for two terms/four years until this year. I am no longer holding that position, because I did not file for the Republican precinct position, but someone else did this year.

     Similar situation in Douglas County Commissioner's race of 2000.

     I learned years ago that when nobody files for a partisan position...whether its Douglas County Commissioner (back when it was a partisan race) or a local party precinct person...voters can nominate whomever they want from any party to represent them. Republicans can elect Democrats and Democrats can elect Republicans. But only if nobody has filed for the position. A Republican, for example, can not file to run as a Democratic candidate. Only someone from their own party can file for a partisan office.

I appreciate the bi-partisan support that I've received over the years.

     When I've run for Douglas County Commissioner in the past, I've often said that I have support from different parties and sectors of the public. I base that statement on the outcome of the 2000 commissioner's race. There were four Republican candidates and no Democratic candidates in that election. The incumbent, Joyce Morgan, won. While I came in third from the Republican votes, I came in SECOND with write-in votes from the Democratic voters:

Republican votes
1. Joyce Morgan
2. Bob Free
3. Monte Muirhead
4. Terry Westfall

Democratic votes
1. Joyce Morgan
2. Monte Muirhead
3. Bob Free
4. Terry Westfall

     During the primary election, Joyce Morgan publicly solicited Democratic write-in votes, even though she was a Republican candidate! That's because she knew that if one of her opponents received more Democratic write-in votes than she did...then that Republican opponent would go on to the November general election, and be on the November ballot as the Democratic candidate, even though the person would be a registered Republican! As it turned out, Morgan's strategy worked. She received the most Democratic write-in votes, automatically assuring her name would be the only candidate's name on the November ballot.
     It's nice to know that people still support me enough to write my name on the ballot and elect me to a position, Republican or Democratic.