Don't Have a Ballot? It's Still Not Too Late to Vote

By Jenny Greenleaf of Portland, Oregon. Jenny is Oregon's Democratic National Committeewoman.

Everyone who is registered to vote in Oregon should have had their ballot several days ago. If you don't have yours--and you are legally registered--you can still get one and vote in this election.

Or you can get a new ballot if something happened to yours. Even if the dog ate it. Or your pen slipped, and you accidentally voted for Saxton.

People don't receive ballots for myriad reasons: they moved and haven't re-registered, the Post Office thinks their address is bad or the ballot gets lost in the mail, election workers weren't able to decipher the handwriting on a voter registration card, or apartment number is mis-keyed.

Oregon election laws encourage (thanks, Bill), rather than discourage, voting, so you can still participate. Here's how...

If you didn't get a ballot, and you believe you are registered, you can go to your county elections office and ask for a replacement ballot. They will verify your signature, make any updates to your registration, and usually issue you a ballot on the spot. Many county elections offices are open this Saturday.

If you live in Multnomah, Washington, or Lane counties (and some others, although I'm not exactly sure of the list), the Democratic Party can get you a ballot. We know that not everyone can make it to county elections between 8 am and 5 pm, so we're here to help.

Since we're open all hours now, you can come to our offices in Portland, Beaverton, or Eugene to sign a form, and we will take it to county elections and get a ballot for you. If you can't come to us, we'll send a driver to your home or place of work to get your signature.

And, if you can't deliver your own ballot to an authorized drop location in Multnomah, Washington, or Lane County, we'll pick it up, give you a receipt, and deliver it to county elections.

Please read our FAQs for more information about missing or replacement ballots. And if you have questions, call the Ballot Center at 503-239-8691.

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