Voters Pamphlet Error Costs State $48,000

by Chris Lehman
October 17, 2008

Some mistakes are easier to correct than others. In Oregon, one Congressional candidate did a double take when he saw state officials listed the wrong party affiliation for him in the voters’ pamphlet. Salem correspondent Chris Lehman explains.

Joel Haugen won the Republican primary in the 1st Congressional District last May. But he switched to the Independent Party after a falling-out with local Republicans.

They were upset at his endorsement of Democrat Barack Obama. But somehow state elections officials failed to change his party affiliation on the voters’ pamphlet.

Haugen says the error was discovered when the pamphlet arrived in his mailbox.

Joel Haugen: “Well actually, I didn’t even open it up. My wife opened it up and she what ‘What’s this?’ She said ‘You’re listed as a Republican.’ And I said ‘Oh, that’s interesting.’ I was actually quite astounded that was the case. But you know, it was a clerical error I suppose.”

It’s an expensive clerical error. The state is spending $48,000 to mail postcards to 1st District voters informing them of the mistake.

Haugen and three other minor party candidates are trying to unseat incumbent Democrat David Wu.

Today the Oregonian newspaper editoriallly endorsed David Wu (D) in Oregon's 1st Congressional District. His major opponent on the ballot is Joel Haugen (I), but the Oregonian never even mentioned Haugen. Here is what the Oregonian printed:

Wu will never be the best known or most influential member of Oregon's congressional district. But he has carved a significant niche for himself in the state's delegation, and he did rise to the challenge of last week's historic vote. For the first time, it's possible to endorse David Wu's re-election to Congress with some enthusiasm.

Joel Haugen, on the other hand, opposed the trillion dollar bailout of Wall Street fat cats. See Joel Haugen for Congress

OR-1: Haugen applauds DeFazio for voting against bailout bill

By Britten Chase
October 4, 2008

Congressional candidate Joel Haugen (I-Scappoose) expressed disappointment in the passage of the Wall Street bailout bill Friday, but he did applaud U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Springfield) for voting against the package.

"If the old adage 'haste makes waste' holds true, we are in for the mother of all taxpayer waste," Haugen said in response to the bailout bill that allocated close to $850 billion of taxpayer dollars toward bailing out financial institutions.

Haugen campaign manager Sarah Tiedemann refused to comment when asked what the campaign thought about Rep. David Wu (D-Portland), whom Haugen is challenging, switching his vote to support the issue. Tiedemann said Haugen did not want his campaign to go negative and simply wanted to express support for DeFazio, who had worked to come up with an alternative to the plan.

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