How to vote

In Oregon, voters vote by mail.

1. You will get information about the election in the mail around April 21st. This will tell you what choices you will vote on.

2. You will get your ballot in the mail around May 2nd. You vote by marking your choices on the ballot.

3. Read all the instructions on the ballot. The instructions will say whether you should use a pen or a pencil.

4. In some counties, you will vote by filling in the oval next to your choice. In other counties, you will vote by filling in the arrow or box next to your choice. You can write in the name of a person if you do not like the choices for any job on the ballot. You must fill in the oval or complete the arrow next to the name you wrote.

5. Check your ballot. You do not have to vote on everything. Do not vote for more choices than allowed.

6. If you make a mistake or lose your ballot, you can call 1-866-ORE-VOTE (1-866-673-8683) to get another one.

7. You must mail your ballot back in the envelope that came with it. You must sign the envelope before mailing it. It must get to the county Elections Office by May 20th.

Deciding How to Vote
So who are you going to vote for? That can be a big question. Fortunately, there are lots of ways of figuring it out.

Sometimes it’s not hard at all: You know which candidates you like and don’t like.

In making decisions about which candidates to vote for, it’s worth thinking about where certain candidates stand on the issues that are important to you. For example, if you have children in school, you may want to find out what the candidate says about funding for schools. Or if you’re concerned about environmental problems, it makes sense to read the candidate’s materials and see what he or she says about those problems.

Conversations with friends and family can be helpful. These are people who probably share your values, so talking with them about candidates and issues can help you (and them) get clear on your choices.

If you want to find out more than you can learn with this Voters’ Guide, these are some well-known sources for information on candidates and ballot measures.

• The state Voters Pamphlet, which shows you what you’ll be voting for on Election Day and includes statements from different candidates and people for and against a ballot measure.

• Recommendations from organizations you belong to or trust.

• Literature from candidates may be mailed to you, handed to you, or left at your door. • The news media – newspapers, magazines, television, radio.

• Debates in person or on TV are a good way to see how the candidates compare side by side.

• Campaign ads on TV, radio, newspapers.

Ads tell you what a candidate thinks are the issues most important to you. Sometimes the candidate says where she or he stands. Do you agree or disagree?

• The Internet plays a bigger role in elections every year. Some Web sites, like www.lwvor.org, give unbiased information; they are not part of any political party or campaign.

• Many politicians and most sides of an issue will have a Web site. But pay careful attention, because not every Web site that looks like it’s a candidate’s official Web site actually is one. Sometimes people put up personal Web sites for candidates or issues they like. There have even been cases where people have put up fake Web sites to embarrass a candidate they didn’t like.

• A good Internet search engine to find out about candidates or issues is www.google.com.

 

Standards for Oregon Campaign Conduct
Oregon voters expect candidates to live up to the following standards of fairness.

1. Candidates for public office should conduct their campaigns openly and fairly, discussing the issues in a timely manner, allowing the opportunity for reply, and participating in public dialogue.

2. Candidates should assume personal responsibility for the conduct of their campaigns.

3. Candidates should uphold the right of every citizen to full and equal participation in the electoral process.

4. Candidates should not engage in, permit or condone defamatory attacks on the character of their opponents, nor should they engage in personal attacks unrelated to campaign issues.

5. Candidates should not use or permit the use of any campaign material or advertisements which misrepresent, distort or otherwise falsify the facts.

6. Candidates should reject and condemn any campaign appeal to prejudice based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, marital status, age, or disability.

7. Candidates should publicly repudiate support from any individual or group whose activities violate these standards of fair campaigning.

Authorized by League of Women Voters of Oregon
Revised 2/2000, Readopted 2002

Oregon Political Parties
In addition to the Democratic and Republican parties, there are six smaller or minor parties: the Constitution Party, Independent, Libertarian Party, Pacific Green Party, Socialist Party and the Working Families Party of Oregon. The parties are statewide except for the Socialist Party, which operates only in Congressional District 3.

Each of these parties is required by law to set a procedure to select candidates for November statewide and local elections. Most parties hold conventions, but the only requirement is that the process provides equal opportunity for all registered members of the party to participate in the process of making nominations or selecting the delegates who will make the nominations. This year these parties must have held nominating conventions or have otherwise selected candidates by March 11, 2008.