League of Women Voters of Portland

General Voter Information

Get Help from Government	Voter Registration
Vote By Mail Elections	Absentee Voting

Get Help from Government

The State of Oregon Elections Division maintains the web site Vote! Oregon with information about voter registration, voting by mail, absentee voting, election calendars, ballot drop sites, voter education resources, and much more. If you have a question about voting, you will probably be able to find the answer at this site.

Oregon voters can also call a toll-free information line for answers to questions about ballots and voting. The service, in English and Spanish, is available from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm on weekdays at 1-866-673-8683.

The Multnomah County Elections division also maintains a Voter Resources web page with a lot of useful voting information.

Voter Registration

Any resident of Oregon who is a United States citizen and 18 years or older may register to vote. Convicted felons who have served their sentences are eligible to vote.

You may register at any time, but your voter registration card must be postmarked or received 21 days before the election at which you intend to vote. The deadline is October 14, 2008, for the November 2008 election.

You may always register in person at your county elections office. You can find mail-in voter registration cards in many places, including:

In the Qwest telephone directory
At most public library branches
At all Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) branches
At many post offices
At many government offices

There is also a voter registration form that you can print from your home computer.

If you register by mail, be sure to include a photocopy of ID showing your name and address in the envelope provided. Examples of acceptable ID include:

Valid Driver's License
Paycheck stub
Utility bill
Bank statement

You need to re-register to vote if:

You move or change your mailing address.
You change your name.
You wish to change your party affiliation

You can verify that you are registered to vote by checking the online database maintained by the Secretary of State or by contacting your county elections office.

Vote By Mail Elections

All elections in Oregon are now conducted by mail (Vote By Mail). A ballot will be mailed automatically to each registered voter 18 to 14 days before election day.

If you have not received your ballot within a week after they are mailed, call your county elections office. They will check your registration and, if it is current, mail you a replacement ballot.

Your county elections office must RECEIVE your ballot by 8:00 p.m. on election night. Postmarks do not count, so be sure to allow time for mailing. Another option is to bring your ballot to a designated drop site. Call the county elections office for the site nearest you.

To vote by mail, fill out the ballot, place it in the secrecy envelope and seal it. Then place the secrecy envelope in the pre-addressed return envelope. Sign and place postage on the return envelope.

Ballots will not be counted until election day.

Absentee Voting

If you will be out of town during an election, and need an absentee ballot, contact your county elections office. Your request can be delivered either in person, by mail, or by fax. Be sure to include your name, the address at which you are registered, and your mailing address.

You can also find an absentee ballot request form that you can print from your home computer.