CLACKAMAS COUNTY, Ore. — Some voters in Clackamas County are discovering an issue with their ballot return envelopes.
The elections office says they've received at least four reports of envelopes being sealed. County Clerk Catherine McMullen says sometimes mail in Oregon gets damp and self-seals. She says that the weather was a bit rainy on the days the ballots were mailed this time around.
“In the May primary, we had a really wet day where all the ballots were delivered,” said McMullen. “And we had a larger incident of returned ballot envelopes being shut."
She recommends people can re-open the envelope, put the completed ballot inside and tape it shut. But if you can't do that, voters can go to the elections office and grab one or request a replacement ballot with a new envelope.
You can also request a new ballot by walking into the Clackamas County Elections Office or Happy Valley Vote Center and requesting a new ballot that will come with a new envelope.
You can also request a new ballot online here. Keep in mind — if you choose to get a replacement ballot in the mail you can have it mailed to you before October 31.
“Whenever you do get a replacement ballot, your first ballot is an activated,” said McMullen, “and the second one becomes your active ballot — so there is no way that you can vote twice."
Anyone with questions can also call the election office at 503-655-8510.
The elections office wants to remind voters to sign in the signature box on the return envelope. Your ballot cannot be counted if you do not sign the return envelope. Every signature is checked against the registration signature on file. The signatures must match for the ballot to be counted. If you forget to sign or your signature does not match you will be notified so that you can take action to ensure that your vote can be counted.
Listed below are the location and hours for the county vote center and election office:
Happy Valley Vote Center
Inside the Happy Valley Library
13793 Southeast Sieben Park Way
Happy Valley, Oregon 97015
OPEN Oct. 21 – Nov. 5
Clackamas County Elections Office
Oregon City Red Soils Campus
1710 Red Soils Ct., Suite 100
Oregon City, Oregon 97045
OPEN Year-round
Hours for both locations:
Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 2, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.