By Stephen Floyd
Marion County voters are being asked to choose between candidates for County Clerk in the May 21 Primary Election to determine who progresses to the November ballot.
Longtime Clerk Bill Burgess is being challenged by Deputy Clerk Jo Anne Lepley and retired election worker Anna Munson. The two with the most votes will appear on the Nov. 5 General Election ballot.
Below are summaries of the candidates based on information they provided for the voter’s pamphlet.
Bill Burgess, of Salem, was first elected clerk in 2005 after a career as a pharmacist, with prior government experience on the Salem City Council from 1990 to 1998. He said voters should support an experienced candidate due to “changing complexities” of the role, including electronic property records and the need for accurate and secure vote counting.
Jo Anne Lepley, of Woodburn, has been deputy clerk since 2022 and has been in government administration for 17 years including for cities in Oregon and Maine. Currently she oversees local elections and said the responsibilities and accountability of this job would help her do well as clerk.
Anna Munson, of Salem, is retired after a career in ultrasound diagnostics. She was also a local elections worker from 2016 to 2022. Munson said she would bring fresh eyes and a new vision to the position and would commit to being accessible, transparent and an advocate for local residents.
Ballots for the May 21 Primary Election will be arriving soon in mailboxes after being mailed out May 1.
Voters are being asked to decide party nominees for the Nov. 5 election at the federal, state and county levels, as well as candidates for nonpartisan offices with three or more contenders.
Once filled out and signed, ballots must be postmarked by Election Day or returned to a ballot box by 8 p.m. May 21.
