Michael Schmieding is one of the registered voters in precinct 689. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)
On a quiet stretch of road right outside Salem city limits, nestled between a river and stream, there are no campaign signs. The residents there are helpful to one another, but they don’t talk politics.
The home sites are large, often spanning acres and acres in a territory that covers a portion of Northeast Lardon and Sunnyview roads.
But Marion County records show that residents there are the most engaged voters in the county. Of the 22 registered voters in precinct 689 in 2016, all cast their ballots; one wasn’t accepted. Though statistically insignificant because other precincts contain thousands of voters, no other precinct marked such a high return.
In the May primary, there were 14 registered voters in the precinct, one Democrat, six Republicans and five nonaffiliated voters. The rest were registered with another party.
None of the residents interviewed by Salem Reporter had theories as to why. Farmers have more of a stake in elections, some ventured to guess.
Steve Roth has lived in his home for 20 years but doesn’t know why his neighbors seem so civically engaged.
“A lot of what we’re seeing today in society is people haven’t been engaged enough and democracies don’t work when people aren’t engaged,” he said.
Roth teaches social studies to high school sophomores and said the issue used to be that there was too little information on public issues. Now there’s too much.
“It’s difficult teaching them to corroborate their evidence with not just stuff they agree with, but listening to the other side as well,” he said.
Roth urges his students to listen to news sources from other counties to get a different perspective.
Down the road, Michael Schmieding has lived in his home six years. He doesn’t have a TV, so the news he hears is on the radio.
“You get so sick of everyone. Why wouldn’t you vote?” he said.
Originally from Montana, Schmieding said he spent years traveling around the country before he got a permanent address and registered to vote.
He voted for George Bush in 2004 and Barack Obama in 2008. He said the childish back-and-forth between candidates running for office gets old.
Schmieding said he couldn’t put his finger on why so many of his neighbors vote. Though he helps his elderly neighbor clean her gutters, politics never comes up in their conversations, he said.
Jim Sipe sits in the front yard of his home in Precinct 689 on Tuesday, October 27. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)
Jim Sipe, 88, said he registered to vote when he got out of the U.S. Navy in 1954 after serving in the Korean War.
“I try to pick the person I feel will do us the least harm,” he said. “I normally vote against somebody, not for somebody.”
Sipe said he’s only missed one election, and that’s because he got a flat tire on the way to drop off his ballot.
He said he wished this year’s election was over.
In the 2016 election, Sipe said he voted for the third-party candidate knowing they wouldn’t win.
“My theory was maybe enough people will vote third party that it will scare the heck out of the politicians,” he said.
SUPPORT ESSENTIAL REPORTING FOR SALEM – A subscription starts at $5 a month for around-the-clock access to stories and email alerts sent directly to you. Your support matters. Go HERE.
Have a tip? Contact reporter Saphara Harrell at 503-549-6250, [email protected] or @daisysaphara.
