Frequently Asked Questions

Current Election

When is Oregon's 2024 General Election?

Oregon's General Election is held on November 5, 2024.

What will be on the ballot for the General Election?

The General Election will feature federal, state, and local candidates, as well as statewide and in some cases local measures. Major party candidates who received their party's nomination during the May 21, 2024 Primary Election will appear on the ballot.

Will my party affiliation affect what ballot I get?

No. Your political party affiliation only comes into play during a Primary Election.

Can anyone change my party affiliation?

No. Only you can change your own political party affiliation, and a signature is required.

When are Presidential candidates decided for printing on the ballot?

We are notified of the Presidential candidates to print on the ballot by September 5, 2024.

How are winners of the Presidential race decided?

A vote for President and Vice President is a vote for the electors supporting those candidates. Please check out these resources for information on the Electoral College:

Electoral College | USAGov

When is the election decided?

Unofficial results will be posted at 8 p.m. on Election Night at the earliest. Election results are not final until the election is certified. Voters whose signature is challenged or who forgot to sign their return envelope have 21 days after the election to cure those issues. Election results will be certified no later than December 2, 2024.

When are ballots first available to pick up?

The first day you can pick up a ballot is September 23, 2024. If you are going to be away from Oregon during the election, it is recommended that you come in as early as possible for your ballot.

When will the Voter’s Pamphlet be mailed?

Voter's pamphlets are mailed in early October. Your household should receive two voter's pamphlets: the Marion County Voter's Pamphlet for local races and the State Voter's Pamphlet for federal and state races.

When is the last day to register to vote?

In Oregon the last day to register as a new voter is October 15, 2024.

When are ballots mailed?

Local ballots are mailed October 16, 2024. Ballots are sent to military and overseas voters on September 20, 2024 and out-of-state absentee voters on October 7, 2024. Please contact us if you do not receive your ballot within about a week of when your ballot is mailed!

What is the last day to have a ballot mailed to me?

October 31, 2024. After that date, you must come in person to pick up a replacement ballot packet at the Senator Hearing Room Voter Center. The Vote Center will be open at 555 Court St NE, 1^st Floor in downtown Salem during the hours listed below.

Monday, November 4 – 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 5 – 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

When is the last day to vote?

Your ballot must be cast by 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 for your ballot to count. If you mail your ballot, it must be postmarked by Election Day and received in the mail within 7 days to be processed.

I got a letter about a signature issue. When is my last day to respond?

The last day to cure a signature issue is November 26, 2024 by 5:00 p.m. Postmarks do not count.

Voter Registration

Am I registered to vote?

Visit oregonvotes.gov to view your voter registration details and update your registration if it is not current.

You may also call our office and we can look up your current registration status.

Contact us at 503-588-5041, TTY 800-735-2900 (Deaf Hearing Impaired device required), or Toll Free at 800-655-5388.

How can I register to vote or update my registration?

You have several options:

Register online by going to oregonvotes.gov. You will need a computer with internet access and an Oregon driver's license, ID, or permit.
Fill out a paper voter registration card. Return it to our office in person at 555 Court St NE, Suite 2130, Salem, OR 97301 or by mail at PO Box 14500, Salem, OR 97309.
Some voters are automatically registered 3 weeks after they have had a qualifying interaction at the DMV, including obtaining, renewing, or replacing their driver's license. If you are one of these voters, you will receive a notification card in the mail allowing you the opportunity to affiliate with a political party. DMV automatic registration for new voters may take up to 22 days.

Where can I get a paper voter registration card?

Our office, located at 555 Court St NE, Suite 2130, Salem, OR 97301 .

You can also find them at most post offices, libraries, city halls, and DMV offices, or online at the Oregon Secretary of State's website.

They are also located at the end of the Marion County Voter's Pamphlet, or the Oregon State Voters Pamphlet.

What are the requirements to be eligible to vote?

You must be:

A U.S. citizen, or have proof that you will become one before Election Day,
At least 16 years of age (you will not receive a ballot until you are 18 years or older), and
An Oregon resident, or a military/out of country voter or their qualifying spouse or dependent.

What information do I need to register to vote?

You must provide your valid Oregon Driver's License, Permit, or ID number. A suspended license is valid, but a revoked license is not.

If you do not have valid ID issued by the Oregon DMV, you will need to provide the last four digits of your Social Security number.

If you do not have either of these things, contact our office for further options.

*If no qualifying identification is provided, your vote will not count on federal races, including candidates for President and Congress.

What is the voter registration deadline?

21 days prior to an election. For the November 2024 General Election, the last day to register is October 15, 2024.

Your paper registration card must be postmarked or received on or before that day. If you register online, your registration must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m.

I am already registered. Should I re-register to vote?

You should update your registration any time:

You move or change your mailing address,
You change your name,
You wish to change your political party affiliation, or
Your signature has changed.

I no longer wish to be registered to vote. How can I cancel my registration?

You will need to fill out, sign, and return a Voter Cancellation Form. You can access the form here.

Ballots

When will ballots be mailed?

Military and out of country ballots will be mailed September 20, 2024.

Out-of-state ballots will be mailed October 7th, 2024.

Local ballots will be mailed October 16, 2024.

I am leaving town before my ballot is scheduled to be sent. How can I get my ballot early?

You can pick one up in our office starting September 23, 2024, at the earliest.

I am not able to come in to pick up my ballot. Can I have someone pick it up for me?

Yes, but only your spouse or a household member may pick up your ballot for you. They will need to present ID and sign a form when they come in.

Am I allowed to drop off a voted ballot for someone else?
Yes. You must do so within 2 days of receiving their ballot.

I am moving to a new address. Will the post office forward my ballot?

No. Ballots are not forwardable.

I moved to a new address and my ballot was not delivered. How can I get a new ballot?

If your new address is in Marion County, we can provide you with a new ballot once you have updated your voter registration.

If your new address is outside of Marion County, you must update your voter registration and request a new ballot from the County Clerk of the county in which you now reside.

*If you were not registered to vote in Oregon as of October 15, 2024, you are not eligible to vote in the November 2024 General Election.

My ballot was lost, destroyed, or ruined. Can I get a new one?

Yes, we can issue you a replacement ballot. Your original ballot will be inactivated so that no one else can try to vote it. A replacement ballot can be mailed to you up until October 31, 2024, or you may pick it up at our office before 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

I lost my ballot, got a new one, and then found my original ballot. Which ballot do I vote?

Vote your second ballot. The first ballot was inactivated when the second one was generated. You can tell which is which by the wording by the barcode on the return envelope, which will say “original,” “reissued,” or “replacement.”

Why did I receive two ballots?

The situations which usually create a second ballot are:

You requested a replacement ballot.
We received information that you changed your name or address after we printed your original ballot, and we sent a new ballot to you.
You requested an absentee ballot because you plan on leaving Oregon before local ballots are mailed, and we already printed your original ballot for mailing.

Only one ballot is ever “active” at a time, and only one ballot may be voted.

When this situation occurs, the voter may selected ONE ballot to vote, then destroy the unvoted one.

When is the last day ballots will be mailed?

The last day we will mail ballots is October 31, 2024. If you need to pick up a ballot after that date, you or someone on your behalf (your spouse or a household member) will need to pick one up from our office in person.

Voting

How can I return my voted ballot?

Official Ballot Drop Box: You may return your voted ballot at any official ballot drop box in Oregon. You do not need to apply postage to your return envelope. A roster of Marion County's Official Drop Boxes can be found here.

Mail: Beginning 2019, you do not need to apply postage to your return envelope when mailing it. Postmarks count IF mailed on or before Election Day AND received within 7 days of Election Day.

We strongly encourage early voting! It is best to have your ballot in the mail at least a week before Election Day.

Where is the closest drop box to me?

You can locate the nearest Marion County ballot drop box here. 99.03% of Marion County voters live within 15 minutes of an official drop box.

I accidentally marked the wrong selection while voting. What can I do?

Draw a line through the mistaken selection. Then proceed with voting as intended. To make your intent as clear as possible, you may circle your intended selection, or write “yes” next to the intended selection and “no” next to the mistaken selection.

If you make a mistake that cannot be corrected in this manner, we may provide you with a replacement ballot. Call our office at (503) 588-5041.

Will my vote still count if I don’t vote on all of the races?

Yes. The contests you did not vote on will be tallied as undervotes.

How can I track my ballot?

Sign up for BallotTrax to receive notification about the status of your ballot. You can opt to receive notifications by email, phone, or text.

You may also go to oregonvotes.gov and sign into MyVote to view your ballot status.

I am disabled. Can someone help me vote?

Yes, a friend, family member, or other trusted person can help you vote, but you must sign your own ballot return envelope.

Under Oregon law, your employer, an agent of your employer, or a union officer or agent of a union of which you are a member are forbidden from helping you vote or register to vote.

I am disabled and unable to vote my paper ballot. What other accommodations do you have?

Upon request, we would be happy to provide you with a Large Print Ballot or access to an Alternate Format Ballot. You may also come to our office to use our Accessible Computer Station. Please bring the ballot packet you received through the mail when you come in.

Due to an injury or disability, I am unable to sign my ballot return envelope. What can I do?

It depends on whether or not your condition is temporary. Please call our office at (503) 588-5041 for more information.

Can Someone with Power of Attonery Sign my Envelope for me?

No one else can sign on your behalf, even if they have power of attorney for you. Contact our office to see what your options are for signing you envelope.

Can someone tell how I’ve voted?

No. Your ballot is separated from your return envelope before your ballot is inspected. The process is designed to ensure confidentiality.

Can someone tell whether I’ve voted?

Yes. That information is public record.

I got a letter saying my signature was challenged. What should I do?

Follow the instructions in the letter. You may be required to update your signature using an enclosed voter registration form.

Your response must be received no later than November 26, 2024, and your updated signature must match the signature on your return envelope in order for your ballot to be counted. Postmarks do not count.

I got a letter saying I didn’t sign my ballot. What can I do?

Sign where indicated on the letter and return the letter to us. Your response must be received no later than November 26, 2024. Postmarks do not count. Your signature on the letter must match the signature in your voter registration file in order for your ballot to be accepted.

When is the last day to respond to a challenged signature letter?

The last day to cure any issues with your ballot is November 26, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. Postmarks do not count.