Volunteer Elaine Cosner takes a voter’s ballot envelope while working at the ballot drop site in downtown Bend on Monday. The site is open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, and all other drop boxes are also open until 8 p.m. (Joe Kline/Bulletin photo)

Voter turnout in Tuesday’s election has topped 40 percent statewide.

By Monday morning, 39.8 percent of registered Oregon voters had returned a ballot to a county elections office.

In Deschutes County, voter turnout was at 54.15 percent as of Monday afternoon, according to the clerk’s office. Turnout is seen as a critical factor in this election, with a tight race between Gov. Kate Brown and Rep. Knute Buehler for the governorship and Democratic control of the Legislature at stake.

Deschutes County had the third-highest turnout in the state early Monday with 48.3 percent, according to the Oregon Secretary of State. Only rural Grant and Wheeler counties had higher turnout.

In Crook County, turnout was 41.7 percent by Monday morning, and in Jefferson County it was 41.2 percent.

Statewide, turnout was roughly even between Democrats and Republicans, with 49.3 percent of Democrats having voted by Monday morning and 49 percent of Republicans.

Among unaffiliated voters, just 22.1 percent had voted as of Monday morning.

For Independents, the turnout was 40.1 percent.

Voter turnout in the last midterm election in 2014 was 70.9 percent.

Voters who have yet to return their ballots cannot mail them. Instead, they will need to drop their ballots off at any of a number of drop-off locations throughout the state.

To find a drop-off location, visit sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/drop-box-locator.aspx.

In Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties, drop off your ballot at any of the following drop-off sites:

Deschutes County

• 1300 NW Wall St., Bend, Deschutes Services Center

• Corner of NW Wall Street and Lafayette Avenue, Bend

• 61150 SE 27th St., Bend, Deschutes County Road Department

• 459 SW Bluff Drive, Bend, parking lot south of Hilton Garden Inn hotel

• 1000 SW Bradbury Way, Bend, across from The Pavilion

• 827 SW Deschutes Ave., Redmond Public Library

• 520 E. Cascade Ave., Sisters City Hall

• 56855 Venture Lane, Sunriver Area Public Library

• 16425 First St., La Pine Public Library

Crook County

• 300 NE Third St., Prineville, Crook County Courthouse

• 175 NW Meadow Lakes Drive, Prineville, Crook County Library

• 13650 state Highway 126, Powell Butte Charter School

• 28550 SE Paulina Highway, Post General Store

Jefferson County

• 66 SE D St., Madras, Jefferson County Clerk’s Office

• 200 W. First St., Culver City Hall

• 636 Jefferson St., Metolius City Hall

• 5195 SW Clubhouse Road, Crooked River Ranch administration area

• 2112 Wasco St., Warm Springs