Boiler Bay Beacon
Publisher’s Note – All volunteers collecting signatures are working for Lincoln County Citizens for the Recall of Commissioner Hall.
LINCOLN CITY, Ore. — Members of the Hilltop Patriots gathered signatures Friday outside Lincoln City City Hall for four ballot petitions, including recalls of Gov. Tina Kotek and Lincoln County Commissioner Claire Hall, amid a push to eliminate mail-in ballots and tolls in Oregon.
The group, founded by Marie McFarland, has been tabling across Lincoln City, racing against a 90-day deadline to collect the required signatures. With about seven weeks remaining, organizers say they are over halfway toward their goals and are aiming for 4,300 signatures to provide a buffer.
“People are enthusiastic,” one volunteer said, noting that supporters approached the table eagerly under clear skies. During a brief observation, about 10 people signed the petitions, while passing drivers offered more supportive honks than negative gestures or shouts.
Volunteers, many of whom are retired seniors motivated by a sense of civic duty, expressed frustration with local governance. They accused Hall of mismanaging the Lincoln County Commissioners office in Newport, including shortening public comment periods and allegedly editing videos by muting them.
“We’re old and retired, but we feel we need to be doing something,” one gatherer shared, highlighting the personal stories driving their involvement.
The effort hasn’t been without challenges. At another location, screws were placed in the tires of volunteers’ vehicles, prompting a report to Lincoln City Police. Authorities have since increased their presence near the petition sites to ensure safety.
The Hilltop Patriots continue their drive, undeterred, as they seek to place these measures before voters.
