VOTING BASICS
VOTE BY MAIL and ABSENTEE VOTING
Vote by Mail
In the November 1998 election, with the leadership of the LWV, voters passed an initiative measure requiring that statewide primary and general elections be held by mail. Each person registered to vote is automatically sent a vote-by-mail ballot. Your county elections office must receive your completed ballot by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. Instructions on how to mark and seal the ballot, with your signature, are included with the ballot. While there is some legal challenge to this procedure, at this time all elections in Oregon are expected to be conducted by mail. Individual voters may, if they choose, cast a ballot in person at their local elections office.
For more information about Oregon's Vote-by-Mail, see http://www.uhavavote.org/votingguide/votebymail.html.
Voting Absentee
When to get an absentee ballot
If you are going to be away during an election but would still like to vote, you can request an absentee ballot. The post office will not forward your ballot from your home address, so you must request an absentee ballot in order to vote.
Possible reasons for requesting an absentee ballot include:
- you will be on vacation during an election
- you are a college student living away from home
- you live part of the year in another state
You may become a permanent absentee voter if you are:
- serving in the U.S. Armed Forces
- serving in the U.S. Merchant Marine
- temporarily living outside the territorial limits of the U.S. and the District of Columbia
- frail or disabled
For more information see the Voting in Oregon Guide, published by the Secretary of State.
How to get an absentee ballot
You may apply for an absentee ballot in person at the county elections office by mail or by fax. A request form is available from the Secretary of State. The request must be in writing and must include your residence address, the address to which the ballot should be mailed (your out-of-county address), and your signature. Absentee ballots can not be mailed to an address in your county.
The request for an absentee ballot may be made at any time. If the request is made by mail, be sure to allow enough time for the ballot to be received and returned to the county elections office by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. After the 5th day before the election, the elections filing officer is not required to mail absentee ballots.
For more information see the Voting in Oregon Guide, published by the Secretary of State.
How to cast an absentee ballot
Casting an absentee ballot is the same as voting-by-mail, except that you need to remember to allow enough time for the post office to deliver your ballot in order for it to be received by your county elections office by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. Postmarks do not count.
For more information, contact your county elections office.