Election Day is coming, Tuesday, May 17

BAKER COUNTY – Election Day is less than a week away, which means this is a good time for a reminder about voting and election day basics. 

Below are four things for all voting Oregonians to know about (according to Oregon Secretary of State)

1. The Basics

Ballots are due by 8:00 PM on May 17. If you don’t have your ballot, contact your county elections office to get one. Return your ballot by mail or to an official drop site. If you mail your ballot, make sure it is picked up by USPS and postmarked by May 17.

Visit Sos.oregon.gov/electioninfo for more information on voting in Oregon, election integrity and answers to frequently asked questions.

2. The New Postmark Rule

Oregon’s new postmark rule states that any ballot postmarked by Election Day counts even if it arrives at the election office up to 7 days later. The postmark rule was passed into law by the State Legislature in 2021.

If you’ve voted successfully before, you don’t need to change a thing. But remember that the total number of votes in the election will go up after Election Day. These are not “late” votes. They were cast on time! Close races may take longer to be decided while officials count all the ballots.

3. Oregon elections are secure, transparent and trustworthy.

From accurate mailing lists to secure and transparent ballot counting to post-election reviews, Oregon’s elections are run with high standards.

Check out our graphic explainers about election integrity on Facebook or Twitter. Or visit https://sos.oregon.gov/electioninfo for more information.

4. Closed Primaries

Both the Democrat and Republican parties are holding closed primaries, which means you’ll only see their candidates on your ballot if you are a registered member of one of those parties.

Closed primaries are one way a party can determine which candidates they nominate for the general election. Oregon law allows parties to choose to close their primaries.

Winners of the primary contests will face off in the general election in November, where everyone gets the same ballot.

Always use official sources

There is a lot of information online about elections and it can be difficult to know what to trust. That’s why experts recommend using official sources of information, like Oregonvotes.gov, and to be skeptical of information you see online.

If you have questions, you can always contact the Oregon Elections Division or your county elections office directly.

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