Ballots due by tonight for election.

Byline: Matt Cooper The Register-Guard

It's Election Day. Lane County voters have until 8 p.m. to drop ballots into an official drop box or deliver them to the elections department in downtown Eugene.

Drop boxes are open until 8 p.m., and elections workers there will collect ballots from all voters in line at that time, elections official Annette Newingham said.

Ballots can also be cast at the elections division, 275 W. 10th Ave., Eugene.

But don't mail the ballot - stamps don't count for the deadline, Newingham said.

Voters will elect candidates to numerous nonpartisan school and fire-district boards.

But topping the bill is Lane County's income tax proposal. The 1.1 percent annual tax would replace potential loss of federal funding plus cover the cost of inflation in overall county services for 10 years.

As of Monday, slightly more than 33 percent of registered voters had cast their ballots, which means it's possible that a comparatively small percentage of voters will determine the fate of the first-ever income tax for the entire county.

Unlike property-tax measures, the income tax proposal does not face the requirement that at least half of the electorate vote, Newingham said.

The department is prepared to receive a rush of ballots through tonight's deadline, given that more people tend to vote in elections with money measures, Newingham said.

Voters should take care with ballots, double-check to see that everything is in order, and sign and seal the envelope that holds the ballot, Newingham said.

The department failed to put ballots in fewer than 100 envelopes mailed to south Eugene, but the issue doesn't seem to be a problem elsewhere, Newingham said.

Visit www.co.lane.or.us/Elections/DropOff.htm for a list of drop-box sites. If you have questions, please call the department at 682-4234.

For full elections results, see Wednesday's Register-Guard, or visit www.registerguard.com.