Marion County voting records show a Salem business owner running for city council didn’t vote in multiple recent city elections, something the candidate disputes.

Betsy Vega, who’s running for Salem City Council representing Ward 6 in east Salem, voted only five times out of 28 elections dating back to 2011, according to voter records Salem Reporter obtained from the Marion County Clerk’s office. Most were in presidential elections.

Asked about her record, Vega initially told Salem Reporter in an interview Friday, April 17, that she believed voting was important but didn’t always have the time to do the research required because of her busy schedule as a business owner with multiple volunteer commitments.

“It’s not that I don’t care, it’s just that life catches up with you,” Vega said. “I’m an educated woman but there will be some things that you aren’t going to know about.”

She then insisted via text message she had actually voted in city races after being provided a screenshot of her record from the clerk’s office. 

“I was going through my voting record and I did vote for the 2 or 3 past elections. I remember clearly voting for Julie (Hoy) a few years ago when she just started as a candidate for city council. I remember voting for Dr. Brown as well and later for Deanna and again for Julie when she became mayor,” Vega said, referring to council candidates Irvin Brown and Deanna Garcia. “I also voted for other candidates and representatives. Why does it show that I didn’t vote?” 

Salem Reporter reviewed voter records for all city council and mayoral candidates during routine research into those seeking office. While voting histories vary somewhat, Vega’s is unique in recent years. No other candidate has missed voting in more than one election since 2022.

Marion County Elections Technician Gianfranco DiCarlo verified the accuracy of the record to Salem Reporter following Vega’s objections.

“All our sources show no clerical error,” DiCarlo said in an email. “There is only one Betsy Vega in the entire statewide voter database.” 

According to her record, Vega did not vote in the May 2024 election. That was when Salem voters elected Julie Hoy mayor. The record showed that she also didn’t cast a ballot in the most recent city election on May 20, 2025, when voters approved a property tax increase to help avoid deep cuts to city services like the library, Center 50+, and parks and recreation. 

That last election was the same race that put her opponent, incumbent Councilor Mai Vang in the Ward 6 seat. Vang’s record, in contrast, showed she has voted in all 10 elections where she’s received a ballot since May 2020. 

The last election where Marion County received a ballot from Vega was the general election in November 2024. Before that, the record showed she voted in the general election in November 2020. 

Vega told Salem Reporter she remembers giving her ballot in the May 17, 2022, election to a volunteer at the Marion County offices at 555 Court St. N.E., where the clerk’s office is housed. In the other two elections, she said she mailed her ballots prior to the deadline. 

“I remember voting…Now the question that arises is if we give the ballot to volunteers are they really turning them in? They were mailed, did they get lost in the mail?” Vega said. 

The county has a ballot tracking system that allows voters to be notified when their ballot is received for processing at the clerk’s office, and when their signature is verified.

Christopher Stout, an associate professor at Oregon State University’s School of Public Policy who specializes in voting behavior and representation, said some voters may expect a candidate to vote because a lack of voting could signal disengagement from the process. 

He said a spotty voting record could have some questioning whether a candidate will be engaged in local politics even if they win the race. 

“On the other hand though, to some voters it may be like, ‘Hey, not everybody votes in every election, not everybody votes in local elections,’ and the argument that this person is not a politician, that they are going to be an average person, may make them more relatable to some voters.” 

Stout said voting versus engagement is the key distinguishing factor. 

“Whether you are reading the local newspaper every day and you know the issues, you would still probably be a good representative without having voted,” Stout said. “But if you haven’t voted and haven’t been paying attention then you are at a disadvantage and you are not as plugged in and can’t hit the ground running the way others could.” 

Vega is the owner of Rose City Balloons and Latino Enterprises, which does business consulting and support services. She also serves on the advisory committee for the Marion County Sheriff’s Department, and the city’s Cultural and Tourism Promotion Advisory Board. 

The city council seat she’s seeking is an unpaid volunteer position. 

“People like me focus on our businesses and on trying to make ends meet,” Vega said. “When I saw things getting worse and worse, I wondered, ‘How do people get involved?’” 

Vega said she is not a politician and said she is a “lay person like everybody else.” 

Her top priorities are affordable rent and housing, public safety and supporting businesses, she said.

Vega’s campaign has raised $19,000 and spent about $13,000 as of Monday, April 20. Her top donors are the Marion + Polk First political action committee, Oregon Realtors Political Action Committee and the Salem Police Employees Union.

Contact reporter Joe Siess: [email protected].