Registered voters in Oregon will begin seeing their ballots arrive by mail this week. Monday was the deadline to change or update registration.
This year’s ballots will look different for voters in Multnomah County. The county’s election division has moved to a larger, 6- by 9-inch ballot packet. The new packet is similar to those used in Washington state elections and includes larger print, more images and more information about voting.
Multnomah County ballots also won’t include a secrecy envelope; instead, the return envelopes include a printed privacy weave. County officials say the new envelope allows elections workers to sort ballots more swiftly.
Elections officials say voters who don’t receive their ballots by May 5 should call their county elections office.
Voters can return their ballots by dropping them off at official ballot box locations such as libraries, city halls or other locations listed by local elections offices. Voters can also mail in their ballots, which now include pre-paid postage after a new law took effect this year. The same law also mandates that ballots be counted if they’re mailed the day of the election.
Some counties, including Multnomahand Washington, offer a free service called “BallotTrax” wherein voters can track their ballot’s mailing process. Voters will get a notification when their county elections office accepts their ballots or if there are any additional steps they need to take, such as verifying a signature.
You can find more details about your local election on your county’s website.
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