Jefferson County commissioners are hoping a $10,000 incentive will prompt more residents to get a COVID-19 vaccination.

Commissioners approved $10,000 vaccine lottery prizes to 11 residents, totaling $110,000. The prizes are in addition to the state’s plan to award one resident in each county $10,000 for receiving at least the first dose of the vaccine. Final approval of the Jefferson County plan, however, must come from the state.

“Our board looked at it as an opportunity to keep the money local,” said Kelly Simmelink, Jefferson County commissioner.

The funds come from a $220,400 grant Jefferson County received from the state to provide vaccine incentives and planning. The remaining funds will go to the county health department.

The county is still determining how to award the $10,000 prizes to the 11 additional winners, Simmelink said. The county hopes the winners will be drawn at the same time as those in the state’s Take Your Shot Oregon Campaign, which will award one Oregonian, 18 and older, $1 million.

One winner in each of Oregon’s 36 counties will also win $10,000. The drawing will take place on June 28, with names announced by July 4.

Jefferson County is the first county in the state to propose expanding the lottery to additional residents. With a small population of about 23,000 people, the odds of winning increase exponentially.

But Simmelink said he doesn’t want residents to feel pressured to get a vaccine because of the lottery.

“It’s everybody’s personal choice,” Simmelink said. “I don’t know whether slinging money is going to change that.”

Gov. Kate Brown announced the vaccine lottery May 21. The campaign is funded through $1.86 million in federal coronavirus relief money and is being organized by the Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Lottery and Oregon State Treasury.

All Oregonians who received at least one dose of the vaccine are entered to win. When names are drawn, no personal information will be shared with Oregon Lottery, and winners will be given the option to decline the prize to preserve their patient privacy, according to the governor’s office.

Current employees and family members of the Oregon Lottery, governor’s office, treasurer’s office and the Oregon Health Authority will not be eligible to win.

Part of the state’s vaccine lottery will award five $100,000 Oregon College Savings Plan scholarships to residents between 12 and 17 years old.

Jefferson County is also including children in its plan. The county plans to dedicate three of the 11 prizes for residents under 18. The three $10,000 awards would go into an Oregon College Saving Plan account to be used for college or trade schools.

All Oregon residents 12 and older are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Times and locations for vaccines in Jefferson County can be found online at www.jeffco.net/publichealth/page/covid-19-vaccination-information.