Steady line of voters deposit ballots Tuesday; police officer stands by to ensure ballot security
By Holly Dillemuth, Ashland.news
Voters turned out to Ashland’s sole ballot box Tuesday morning outside the Ashland Public Library, some for the first time in their lives.
The polls were open until 8 p.m. at the only ballot box in the city. Ashland police had a presence at the ballot box throughout the day and planned to stay until county election workers removed ballots from the box.
“There are no specific threats against any ballot collection sites in the area, but there’s just generally a lot of anxiety around this election,” said Chief of Police Tighe O’Meara in a phone interview Tuesday. “We did have the incidents in the Seattle/Portland area (ballot boxes lit on fire) and there’s nothing to be lost by being extra diligent and posting a police officer there, there’s only something to potentially be gained, so why not do it.”
Officer Mike Vanderlip, who has been with the department more than 20 years, looked on from his patrol vehicle stationed behind the Ashland Public Library as Helga Motley, 82, who had bundled up in ear muffs for the cold, stepped out of her white Subaru to drop off her ballot on her way to help the homeless in Ashland.
Motley, who said she voted for Democratic nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris, said she was a baby in Europe during World War II. She shared that she believes it is important to have your vote heard, especially votes by women.
When asked how she was feeling about the election on Tuesday morning, Motley said, “desperate.”
“Because I cannot bear the thought of having an American Hitler known as Trump,” Motley said.
“I’ve never witnessed an election that has this much emphasis on wanting to predict what the result is going to be,” she added.
Jacob Hitchcock, 26, walked over to the ballot box and voted for the first time on Tuesday at the library, casting his ballot for Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump.
Hitchcock was of age during the 2016 and 2020 elections, but chose not to participate both times. He felt prompted this time around to take a stand.
“The first two (elections) that I could’ve voted in both felt like jokes, but I guess it’s got to the point now where I’ve got to involve myself in the joke, so that’s kind of what it feels like,” Hitchcock said.
“Now that I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more aware what the world is like,” he added. “When I was a kid, I still felt like I was naive and I didn’t quite understand what was going on.
“I guess now I’m at the age where I can kind of make somewhat of an informed decision, a little more aware what policies go where.”
Hitchcock made a caveat for the reason he’s casting a vote for Trump.
“I’m only doing that because I didn’t vote for Trump the first time I had the chance … so I just feel like he’s a better candidate than Kamala (Harris),” he said, “purely because he does have some time in the presidency and I know that if Kamala’s in office, it’ll probably be another four year puppet-run state by (former President Barack) Obama and Biden. That’s my own opinion.”
Mira Brockelman, 61, kissed the back of her enveloped ballot on Tuesday after driving up to the box.
Brockelman wasn’t shy about who she was voting for — Harris.
“Women’s freedom is at stake,” Brockelman said, referencing the need to cast her ballot during this election.
She plans to watch the results late into the night on Tuesday.
“I am a political newswatcher freak,” she added. “I really hope people get out to vote and I wish that I had more time and made phone calls. Let’s just hope the madness ends, you know? Yay for democracy.”
Southern Oregon University junior Glenn Leith-Ross got out of his truck to drop his first-ever ballot off on Tuesday. The 20-year-old junior plays football at SOU and is studying Health and Exercise Science.
“It feels good,” Leith-Ross said, of his first time voting in an election. “I think it’s more important (to vote) for our generation because we’re just getting into life and we need cheaper everything, cheaper housing, cheaper food,” he added. “I’m a student-athlete so it’s hard to get a job and hold it while in (football season).”
“I think it’ll just come down to the swing states as it always does,” Leith-Ross said. “It is what it is, I won’t be mad if any candidate loses or wins, I mean it’s just how the election goes. My one vote is all I can do.”
Reach Ashland.news reporter Holly Dillemuth at [email protected].
