Questions Arise about Clackamas County Clerk Sherry Hall’s Opponent

Information about Catherine McMullen—who is seeking to unseat Sherry Hall as Clackamas County Clerk, has come to my attention.

According to this report from the Lake County Record-Bee, the paper of record for Lake County, California, McMullin’s previous tenure as a voting registrar was something less than illustrious. She apparently resigned her position after only six months on the job. Before her appointment to that position by the Lake County Board of Supervisors, McMullen, a native Californian, had worked in Portland for the Multnomah County Board of Elections.

Her truncated term of office in Lake County ran from May-November 2019. As the article stated in a November 2019 edition, “The future of the county elections office remains uncertain.”

Here’s the Record-Bee report:

Lake County Registrar of Voters plans to step down McMullen: Resignation is the best decision moving forward

By AIDAN FREEMAN Record-Bee PUBLISHED: November 14, 2019 at 3:19 p.m. | UPDATED: November 15, 2019 at 1:03 p.m. LAKEPORT —

Lake County Registrar of Voters Catherine McMullen has announced she plans to step down from her position after roughly six months on the job.

In a resignation letter addressed to Lake County Board of Supervisors Chair Tina Scott dated Nov. 7, McMullen writes that she plans to leave her post on Friday, Nov. 22.

“While this was not an easy decision to make, it is the best decision moving forward for myself and my family,” McMullen writes. “I wish you, the Board of Supervisors, county staff, and the Registrar of Voters team all the best.

“If I can be of any assistance during the transition, please do not hesitate to ask,” McMullen continues. “As long as I serve as the Registrar of Voters, I remain committed to the voters of Lake County.”

McMullen was hired as registrar in May from among four candidates after longtime former registrar Diane Fridley retired at the end of a 41-year career in the county elections office.

McMullen, who was born in Kelseyville and grew up in Lake County, moved back to her home county prior to taking up the registrar position after having lived in Portland, Oregon, working in voter education and outreach for Multnomah County.

At the time of her resignation announcement last week, her office had just completed a Nov. 5 special election for the Northshore Fire Protection District Measure N tax proposal—McMullen’s only completed election while in office.

In the weeks leading up to that election, Lake County residents, along with many other Californians, had lost power for roughly eight days as Pacific Gas and Electric Company cut electricity to reduce fire risk.

McMullen said on Oct. 31 that the possibility of more shutoffs had been a source of worry for her office: “for democracy it makes things difficult.”

In a post on her LinkedIn page regarding her resignation, McMullen expressed frustration with her job: “This appointment was to be my dream job but instead has been a nightmare from day one. It is time to move on,” McMullen writes.

McMullen could not be reached Wednesday for further comment.

The future of the Lake County elections office leadership is uncertain.