Oregon

Welcome to the Oregon state page! Here, Oregon organizers can access and document ongoing projects, current leadership positions, upcoming races, and other important information. This list is non-exhaustive, and state teams are encouraged to expand and adapt these pages to their organizing needs.

Voting in Oregon

How to Register

First, ensure you are qualified to register to vote in Oregon. The requirements are:

• Be a United States citizen

• Be a resident of Oregon

• Be 16 years or older

If you register before turning 18, you will receive a ballot in the mail for any future election that occurs on or after your 18th birthday

Online versus Paper registration

To register online, you need an Oregon driver license, permit or ID card number issued by the Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services Division (DMV). Then, visit the Oregon Secretary of State’s website at sos.oregon.gov and complete the registration process which will ask you for information from these documents. If you don’t have one of these documents you can still use the online registration. Your information will appear on a PDF in the form of a voter registration card; print this out, sign it, get it to your county elections office, and your registration will be complete.

If you wish to avoid online registration, you can fill out a Voter Registration form and return it to your county elections office either by mail or in-person.

Deadlines to Register

The latest you can register in order to be eligible to vote in an election is 21 days before that election date. Registering by mail? Then it must be postmarked 21 days before the election or earlier. Here are some specific registration deadlines for 2024:

February 20th for the March 12th, 2024 primary election.

April 30th for the May 21st. 2024 primary election.

August 6th for the August 27th, 2024 primary election.

October 15th, 2024 for the November 4th, 2024 general election

How to Vote

In Oregon, all elections are carried out via vote-by-mail. The ballots will be mailed 14 to 18 days prior to the election.

Depending on whatever is most convenient, you can mail in your completed ballot via mailbox/post office or drop it off at an official Oregon drop box, county elections office, or any other Official Ballot Drop Site. If the ballot is mailed ON election day, it WILL be counted as long it is processed and postmarked that day (it will likely take longer but it will still count in the election). Otherwise if you’re dropping off the ballot at an Official Ballot Drop Site, simply make sure to do so before 8PM on Election Day.

Uniformed and Overseas Voters

If you are an active member of any of the Uniformed Services (this includes the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps), the Merchant Marine, or are a family member, you will be mailed a ballot at least 45 days before Election Day. This applies to overseas voters as well.

To request an absentee ballot under these circumstances, you can fill out a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) and mail it to your county elections office. When election time is near and you’ve received and completed your ballot, you can mail it to your county elections office. It is possible to email or fax your ballot, but you must fill out a Secret Ballot Waiver Form and include it with your ballot to do so.

Student and Absentee Voting

If you’re going to be away from your home address at the time of the election due to something like college scheduling, temporary displacement, or vacation, you can use an Oregon Absentee Ballot Request Form. In this form, fill out your Oregon home address and choose whether you will pick up the ballot personally at your local county elections office or have it shipped to an address you will be able to access while away. The elections office is the same place you will mail the form once it’s finished.

Homeless Voters

Voter registration requires a residence address, but this does not apply solely to houses or apartments. A residence address can be any identifiable location in the county which describes your general location. Examples from the Oregon Secretary of State page on the topic include shelters, parks, motor homes, or other identifiable locations. The mailing address can then be filled in with the office of the county clerk. Specific addresses and other information on a voter’s local office can be found on the same site here.

Individuals at Risk

Voters who do not feel safe or comfortable disclosing their home address can attempt to fill out an Application to Exempt Residence Address from Disclosure as a Public Record. Gather any documents that support the need for your information to be kept from the public record. When you’re finished, return it to the county elections office.

Keep in mind: some voting scenarios can also be solved by using My Vote to update your voter registration information online (specifically your address and whether you need an absentee ballot).

Completing and returning your ballot

When it comes time to filling out the ballot, pay close attention to who and/or what you are voting for, and whether it pertains to local, state, or national politics. Remember that party primary elections can be closed or open, with closed meaning only registered party members can vote in that party’s primary.

When you complete the ballot, seal it in the provided envelope and leave your signature on the marked areas. From there you can either mail your ballot or drop it off at any drop box or Official Ballot Drop Site. This must be done by 8PM on election day if you want your vote counted. After all of that, you can track your ballot online using My Vote, though some counties may offer their own local ballot tracking such as text messages.