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Oregon Gubernatorial Candidate Christine Drazan Utilizes Ballot Collection Despite Past Opposition to Mail-In Voting

Oregon Gubernatorial Candidate Christine Drazan Utilizes Ballot Collection Despite Past Opposition to Mail-In Voting

Oregon Republican gubernatorial candidate Christine Drazan's campaign is actively using ballot collection, a practice sometimes referred to as 'ballot harvesting,' to boost her chances in the upcoming November election. This strategy involves campaign staff and volunteers collecting completed ballots from voters and delivering them to official drop sites. This development comes despite Drazan's previous legislative efforts to change Oregon's voting system from mail-in to in-person voting with ID requirements. In 2025, Drazan was the chief sponsor of House Bill 3872, which aimed to put a measure on the ballot to transition to in-person voting, but the bill failed in the House Committee on Rules. Audio and video recordings obtained by the Mercury show Drazan's campaign staff discussing plans for collecting and dropping off ballots in bulk, particularly in rural areas. A campaign staffer acknowledged that while 'ballot harvesting' is not against the law in Oregon, the campaign needs to improve its execution o...
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Kansas Congressman Ron Estes Defends SAVE Act, Citing Voter Integrity Concerns

Kansas Congressman Ron Estes Defends SAVE Act, Citing Voter Integrity Concerns

Kansas Congressman Ron Estes is actively defending the Republican-backed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, emphasizing the critical need for voter identification and robust electoral integrity. Estes argues that common-sense voter ID laws are fundamental to maintaining public confidence in the electoral system, drawing parallels to everyday activities requiring identification such as boarding a plane or opening a bank account. He highlights instances in other states, like Oregon's vote-by-mail system and New Jersey's software error that led to non-citizens being registered, as evidence of vulnerabilities in current election processes. Estes also points to Maryland's 2026 primary, where a vendor error caused voters to receive incorrect ballots, leading to confusion and additional costs. He asserts that these examples underscore the necessity for federal action to prevent ineligible ballots from diluting the votes of eligible citizens. The SAVE Act, which has passed the House multiple times, a...
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Oregon Democratic Primary Fight Escalates with Donation to Legal Fund for Man Accused of Harassing Senator

Oregon Democratic Primary Fight Escalates with Donation to Legal Fund for Man Accused of Harassing Senator

The Democratic primary fight in Oregon has escalated following a $100 donation made in the name of Democratic Party nominee Myrna Muñoz to the legal defense fund of Pedro Jahen Garcia-Balderrama. Garcia-Balderrama is accused of harassing Senator Janeen Sollman (D-Hillsboro), Muñoz's former primary opponent. The incident occurred on August 8 at a public forum where Garcia-Balderrama allegedly became combative, prevented others from speaking, and threw Sollman's eyeglasses. He was subsequently arrested on misdemeanor charges of harassment and disorderly conduct. Sollman described the incident as an 'act of political violence' and expressed ongoing fear for her safety. Muñoz, who defeated Sollman in the primary, had previously expressed sympathy for Garcia-Balderrama online, stating, 'due process is dead if this person is publicly condemned for throwing some glasses while we are being raped, caged, kidnapped - WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING TO STOP POLITICAL VIOLENCE.' Garcia-Balderrama, known as 'Brown Wildfire' on I...
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Oregon Lawmakers Largely Silent on Rep. Greg Smith's Ethics Violations

Oregon Lawmakers Largely Silent on Rep. Greg Smith's Ethics Violations

Oregon lawmakers have mostly remained silent regarding state Representative Greg Smith's ethics violations, leaving the decision about his future to voters. The Oregon Government Ethics Commission recently fined Smith, a Republican from Heppner, $12,000 for breaching state ethics laws. The violations stem from his actions as director of a federally funded public development authority, where he allegedly abused his position to increase his own pay and approve his vacation time. Despite a directive from the authority's board to repay $33,000 that he maneuvered without their knowledge, Smith has retained the money. Smith denies intentional wrongdoing and agreed to pay the $12,000 fine to conclude the case, avoiding a contested hearing. This fine is one of the largest in Oregon's history for such violations. Smith, the state's longest-serving current lawmaker, has faced multiple ethics investigations, including two for failing to disclose clients of his private consulting company, for which he received formal ...
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Proposed Ban on Political Prediction Markets Faces First Amendment Challenges

Proposed Ban on Political Prediction Markets Faces First Amendment Challenges

Efforts to ban political prediction markets in the U.S. are encountering significant First Amendment concerns. These platforms allow individuals to trade contracts based on the outcomes of political events, such as elections, legislative actions, and judicial confirmations. Minnesota has already enacted legislation to outlaw these platforms, though federal intervention temporarily halted its implementation. Additionally, state-level enforcement has led to criminal charges against platform operators and warnings to residents. In Congress, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) have introduced the STOP Corrupt Bets Act, which aims to prohibit election trading nationwide. Critics argue that these measures infringe upon First Amendment rights by restricting political speech and the public's access to political information. The core of the debate revolves around whether placing a trade in these markets constitutes protected speech or mere conduct, with proponents of the markets as...
SB Nation SB Nation
Michigan Football: Ranking every road trip in 2026 from easiest to hardest

Michigan Football: Ranking every road trip in 2026 from easiest to hardest

Michigan Football plays in just 4 road games in 2026. Today, we rank those 4 road venues from easiest to hardest to play at:
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HUSKERS FOOTBALL 2025-2026 Part 3: What’s Happened Since Vegas?

HUSKERS FOOTBALL 2025-2026 Part 3: What’s Happened Since Vegas?

Welcome to a list of who’s out and who’s for 2026. Who do you think will contribute or down the road?
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Oregon Lawmakers Largely Silent on Rep. Greg Smith's Ethics Violations, Leaving Consequences to Voters

Oregon Lawmakers Largely Silent on Rep. Greg Smith's Ethics Violations, Leaving Consequences to Voters

Oregon lawmakers have largely refrained from commenting on whether state Rep. Greg Smith, a Republican from eastern Oregon, should face legislative consequences for violating state ethics laws. The Oregon Government Ethics Commission recently fined Smith $12,000 for abusing his position as director of a federally funded public development authority, manipulating his pay, and approving his own vacation time. He was also found to have failed to disclose clients of his private consulting company on annual economic interest statements in two previous investigations, receiving letters of education. Smith denied intentional wrongdoing and agreed to pay the fine to conclude the case, though he has not repaid the $33,000 he received through the manipulated raise. Despite these findings, Smith remains a member of House Republican leadership and vice chair of the budget-writing Joint Ways and Means Committee, though House Speaker Julie Fahey, D-Eugene, removed him as co-chair of a budget subcommittee.
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Cattle Inadvertently Graze in Yellowstone National Park, Highlighting Federal Land Use Conflicts

Cattle Inadvertently Graze in Yellowstone National Park, Highlighting Federal Land Use Conflicts

A herd of approximately 25 cattle inadvertently entered Yellowstone National Park earlier this week, grazing in an area where commercial livestock grazing has been banned for over 120 years. The cattle, which were privately owned and being grazed under a federal permit on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, wandered into the park due to a fencing failure. Adam Bronstein, Oregon director of the Western Watersheds Project, discovered the trespassing cattle. The U.S. Forest Service has since contacted the permittee, and efforts are underway to retrieve the cattle and repair the fence. This incident underscores the ongoing debate surrounding federal grazing permits on public lands, particularly in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, where livestock grazing is permitted in surrounding areas but strictly prohibited within the national park boundaries.
1Weather 1Weather
Oregon Wildfires See Increased Containment; Dry Thunderstorms Expected

Oregon Wildfires See Increased Containment; Dry Thunderstorms Expected

The number of large wildfires in Oregon has decreased as containment efforts improve, according to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center (NWCC). Currently, 16 large fires are burning across the state, with several nearing full containment. The Big Grass Fire in southeastern Oregon remains the largest, having burned 579,072 acres with an 85% containment rate. Meanwhile, the Grasshopper Fire, located east of Mount Hood, has grown by 888 acres, bringing its total to 92,408 acres, with containment now at 61%. Firefighters are utilizing unmanned aircraft systems equipped with infrared technology to identify and address hot spots. However, the forecast for Friday and Saturday includes the potential for thunderstorms and dry thunderstorms, particularly along the Cascades and in central and eastern Oregon (KATU, 2026-08-19).
USA Today USA Today
Rory Kennedy puts Boeing on blast – Every shocking bombshell from her new doc

Rory Kennedy puts Boeing on blast – Every shocking bombshell from her new doc

Rory Kennedy resumes her probe into Boeing manufacturing and culture with her new documentary, "Freefall," streaming now on Netflix.
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Cash App Parent Company Block to Pay $45 Million in Multi-State Settlement Over Fraud Allegations

Cash App Parent Company Block to Pay $45 Million in Multi-State Settlement Over Fraud Allegations

Cash App Parent Company Block to Pay $45 Million in Multi-State Settlement Over Fraud Allegations