PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon ballots are currently being mailed out for the Nov. 5 general election, and most voters can expect theirs to arrive in the coming days, if it hasn't already. For anyone who wants to keep a closer eye on their ballot's progress, the state and some counties offer ways to track the status of your ballot, both while it's on its way to you and after you send it back.
Ballots began going out Wednesday, but they don't all get sent at once. The last day for the state to get them in the mail is Oct. 22, so while some voters may get their ballots as early as today, others may not receive their ballots until sometime next week. Ballots in Washington state don't start being mailed until Friday, Oct. 18.
It's easy monitor the status of your ballot through either the state elections office or your county elections office. The universal method is to use Oregon's online MyVote system, which is also used for checking your voter registration status. Washington voters have a similar option through the state's VoteWa system.
Once you enter your full name and date of birth, the system will display your registration and information, including the next election ballot you're scheduled the receive and the address where it will be sent.
If there's an upcoming election and your ballot has already been mailed out, the page will include a message confirming the date on which your ballot was mailed out to you. If it's been returned and processed, the system will confirm that it has been accepted.
Some Oregon counties also offer ballot-tracking services where you can sign up to receive email or text confirmation messages when your ballot is sent out. Once you fill it out and return it, either by mail or at a drop box, you'll also get a confirmation message when it has been received and accepted.
Links to ballot tracking signup pages for Portland-area counties are below:
Multnomah County recommends contacting your county elections office if your ballot does not arrive within five days after getting sent out.
Ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5. Returned ballots that arrive at elections offices after the deadline can still be counted, but only if they were postmarked before 8 p.m. on Nov. 5. Mail dropped in a mailbox does not get postmarked until it is picked up and processed at a post office, so last-minute voters should seek out a drop box.
