The Fool’s Errand: Why “End Vote By Mail” Will Fail

And Hurt Oregon Republicans in the Process

If Don Quixote had lived in Oregon in 2025, his windmill of choice would be Ben Edtl’s #ENDVBM crusade. And just like Cervantes’ famous knight, Edtl’s mission to end vote-by-mail in Oregon is gallant in posture but doomed in reality—a performative quest that will drain resources, disillusion volunteers, and weaken the very conservative movement he claims to champion.

Let’s not mince words: the End Vote By Mail initiative is a political fantasy, not a strategic blueprint. It is the ballot measure equivalent of trying to recall Governor Kate Brown with a clipboard and wishful thinking. Remember that disaster? It swirled around “stacks of petitions,” but sank faster than a Portland budget surplus. As KGW reported in 2019, it never made the ballot and faced legal, logistical, and grassroots headwinds from day one.

So why are we watching this movie again?

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Oregon’s Vote-by-Mail: A System That Works

Before we jump off this cliff with Edtl, let’s look at the facts:

• Overwhelming Voter Support: Oregonians approved vote-by-mail in 1998 with 69.4% of the vote. That’s a landslide in political terms—more than Ronald Reagan’s margin in 1984.

• Low Fraud Rates: Between 2000 and 2019, Oregon had only 38 criminal convictions out of over 60 million ballots cast. That’s a fraud rate of 0.00006%—better odds of being struck by lightning while getting hit by a meteor.

• Higher Turnout: Turnout increased 5–6 percentage points under vote-by-mail. That’s real participation. Not apathy. Not “rigged.” Just more Oregonians voting.

Meanwhile, every single ballot in Oregon is:

• On paper

• Voter-verifiable

• Signature matched

• Identity confirmed

And yes, if you want to vote in person on Election Day — you still can. That choice is already protected.

So what exactly are we fixing here?

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The Price of False Hope

Edtl’s constitutional amendment (Initiative Petition 2026-037) would not only ban vote-by-mail — it would mandate in-person voting, photo ID, and proof of citizenship.

That sounds nice until you remember this is Oregon, not Oklahoma. This isn’t just poking the bear — it’s inviting the bear into your house and handing it a baseball bat.

To pass a constitutional amendment, Edtl’s group needs approximately 187,000 valid signatures — meaning they’ll need to collect far more than that, verify them, and survive legal scrutiny. Historically, only 9% of initiatives make it to the ballot, and those are usually well-funded, broadly supported, and politically strategic.

This isn’t that.

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Cutting Down Our Own Tree

What’s worse is the collateral damage this initiative will inflict on conservative organizing. County GOP chapters, already thinly staffed and underfunded, are being drawn into this campaign like moths to a flame. It’s a distraction — and worse, it’s demoralizing.

Our Precinct Committee People (PCPs) are the backbone of Republican engagement. When they’re knocking doors to explain why we want to eliminate the very system 70% of voters support, they’re not building trust. They’re burning bridges.

And let’s be blunt: no one wins elections by alienating seniors, women, and independents — groups that overwhelmingly prefer voting from the kitchen table, with no lines, no drama, and no pressure.

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Apathy vs Strategy: Choose Wisely

It’s easy to sell fear. It’s harder to inspire action.

But as I argued in my earlier piece "Apathy and Confidence: Unraveling the Voter Mind", we can’t build a winning coalition by convincing voters the system is hopelessly broken. That breeds apathy, not turnout. Cynicism is not a campaign strategy.

If Edtl’s goal was to increase Republican participation, he could’ve spent his time training canvassers, registering voters, or building county-level voter guides. Instead, he chose a vanity measure with worse odds than betting on a Duck to win the SEC.

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A Call to Patriotism, Not Pessimism

Here’s the truth every conservative in Oregon needs to hear:

You still have the right to vote in person on Election Day.
Your ballot is still made of paper.
Your signature is still verified.
Your vote still counts.

So why tear down a system that most Oregonians trust and prefer?

Vote-by-mail has become part of our civic culture. It's not just convenient—it’s patriotic. It lets you sit at the kitchen table, read your voters’ pamphlet, drink your coffee, and cast your vote in peace. No pressure. Just citizenship.

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Final Thought: This is a Fool’s Errand

Ending vote-by-mail is like trying to ban rain in Oregon. It’s possible in theory, but in practice? It’s a money pit, a time sink, and a political black hole. Worse, it risks undermining the very institutions and volunteers working every cycle to keep conservative voices heard.

To paraphrase an old saying: If you're in a hole, stop digging. And if you're trying to burn down the house you live in? Put down the torch.

Vote smart. Vote proud. Vote by mail — or in person. Just vote.

But don’t waste our time chasing shadows.

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Sources:

• Willamette Week: "The Man Who Wants to Kill Vote by Mail in Oregon"

• Thousands of Oregonians slam Republican senator’s attempt to end mail ballots

• KGW: "GOP Chairman Petition to Recall Governor Brown Faces Uphill Battle"

• Portland Tribune: "Flush Kate Brown Campaign Swirls with Petitions"

• Substack: "Apathy and Confidence"

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