SEPTEMBER 22 MARKS VOTER REGISTRATION DAY

The deadline to register to vote in the state of Oregon for the 2020 general election is Oct. 13. If you’re unsure about your registration status, or what happens next, The Advocate has you covered! First, if you’re sure you haven’t registered to vote, doing so is straightforward. Just visit The Oregon Online Voter Registration (https://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/registration.aspx?lang=en) website to register online. It’s worth noting that to register, you must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of the state of Oregon, 16 years of age, and be in possession of an Oregon state issued Driver’s License, ID card, or Driver’s Learning Permit.

If you meet all the other criteria but don’t have the appropriate identification, you can still register. You may print out a registration form here (https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Documents/SEL500.pdf) and turn it in at your local county elections office. Offices are listed with the previous form, or you can see a list at https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Pages/countyofficials.aspx.

(Important point: While you may register at age 16, no mail ballot will be sent to you until you turn 18 –the legal voting age.)

Ballots will be mailed out by county election offices no later than Oct. 20, 2020. To make sure that your ballot is sent to the correct address, visit the MyVote website at https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/vr/showVoterSearch.do and verify your registration status.

Once you’ve cast your ballot, this site can also track its current location, thanks to the barcode printed on the envelope. Don’t forget: If you move, change your name, or want to change your party affiliation, you need to change your registration.

After you receive your ballot, make sure to fill it out properly and fully, and don’t forget to sign it. If you don’t sign your return envelope, or if your signature on the envelope doesn’t match the one on your voter registration card (or state ID), you may be contacted by the county elections office to come in and verify your vote, or else you won’t be counted.

Finally, you must make sure that your ballot is received by the election office, or one of the official drop box locations, by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3 – election day. Having the ballot postmarked before that date isn’t good enough (especially given 2020 postal service concerns), so make sure to vote as early as you can if you’re voting by mail.

If you’re unsure if your ballot will reach the county election office via USPS by Nov. 3, you can visit one of many drop box locations. The full list of available locations will be posted 20 days before the election, so approximately October 14th. You can find that list here (https://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/drop-box-locator.aspx) at the Secretary of State’s website.

Keep an eye on The Advocate for more election year coverage, and make sure to follow us on Twitter (@mhccadvocate).