Oregon Public Broadcasting

Anti-tax lobbyist Mark Nelson admits his firm made a mistake in a voter survey sent out in advance of Oregon’s special election this month. Ryan Knutson reports.

The Nelson Report, a polling outfit, sent out a survey that the League of Women Voters says looks too much like a ballot.

The survey says in all capital letters: “THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL BALLOT.” But the League points out that the law requires such materials to say, in bold lettering, “NOT FOR OFFICIAL USE.”

Nelson says his firm was simply unaware of that requirement.

Mark Nelson: “Because we didn’t have the wording exactly right, we’re not going to be sending out any more of those ballots. But there is no way anyone can confuse that with an official ballot that comes out of county elections.”

The state Elections Division says it will rule on the League's complaint by early next week.