PNW voting, 2026 style
0. TODAY check you are registered to vote. If a previous ballot was returned as undeliverable, it's been too long since you last voted, or for some other reason you've been removed from the voters' rolls, NOW is the time to find out while it can be fixed. Go to https://www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote & check. NOW.
1. Washington resident? The #SeattleSolution to the Postmaster General's threat to only mail ballots to approved people: DOWNLOAD your ballot, personalized to your precinct w/ all appropriate races & candidates. Print out, mark choices, sign, put in envelope & seal; return anonymously through mail or drop box. Bypass the GOP outbound ballot block. See https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/elections/how-to-vote/ballots/how-to-get-your-ballot if you live in Seattle or King County, or https://voter.votewa.gov/portal2023/login.aspx#/login if you live elsewhere in Washington State. Simple, ain't it?
2. OK, so you live in Oregon. Overseas absentee & military voting ballots were sent 9/19, and out-of-state ballots mailed out 10/05, but ballots for most voters start going out 10/14. Here's the official Oregon Drop Box Locator.
Oregon now allows a long-term absent elector serving in the Armed Forces, along with their dependents, to cast a ballot using a facsimile machine. The ballot must be received in the county elections office by 8PM PST sharp on election day. The ballot will not be counted without an accompanying form SEL 531; along with the faxed signed return identification envelope that matches the elector's most current signature on file. The SEL 531 form may be found at: http://sos.oregon.gov/elections/documents/SEL531.pdf & fax numbers are listed at https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Pages/county-officials.aspx
A. If you have not received your ballot by 10/19, call your county elections office. Which county do you live in? Here are all Oregon county election offices w/ phone, fax, and TTY numbers. Ask yours what you need to bring. Portland metro area listings:
Clackamas Co 503-655-8510 1710 Red Soils Ct #100, Oregon City
Columbia Co 503-397-7214 230 Strand St., St. Helens
Marion Co 503-588-5041 555 Court St NE #2130, Salem
Multnomah Co 503-988-8683 1040 SE Morrison St., Portland
Washington Co 503-846-5800 2925 NE Aloclek Dr # 170, Hillsboro
Yamhill Co 503-434-7518 414 NE Evans St., McMinnville
B. Go to your elections office, bringing what that elections office told you to bring, & request a replacement ballot. That will invalidate the ballot they mailed you, so if that shows up in the mail later, discard it.
C. RIGHT NOW, before you leave, mark your new replacement ballot to make your choices, fold & insert into its envelope, sign the envelope, and hand it to an elections worker, or put it in the on-premises drop box/drop slot.
Comments