Election date
The next general election is Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
Deadlines to register
In Oregon, the deadline to register for this election is Tuesday, October 13, 2020. Deadlines vary by state; here's a link to deadlines to register in all 50 states and the District of Columbia
How to register to vote in Oregon
Register online at the Oregon Secretary of State website. You can update your existing registration here. You can also register at your local elections office. Please remember that you need to update your voter registration each time you move so that your ballot can be mailed to your current address; ballots are not forwarded!
How to register to vote in other states
Register online via ALL IN to Vote.org.
How voting by mail in Oregon works
Watch a video about how voting by mail works here.
Oregon has the most convenient voting system in the country. Since adopting vote-by-mail, Oregon consistently ranks as a national leader in voter turnout.
Registered voters receive a ballot two to three weeks before an election, giving time to research issues and candidates.
Voters also receive an official ballot to complete and insert into the security envelope which is placed in the ballot return envelope and signed by the voter. The ballot return envelope can be stamped and mailed or dropped off at any official drop box across the state. If a voter casts their ballot after the Wednesday before an election, the ballot should be left at a drop box site to ensure it's counted.
Ballots must be received by 8 p.m.on Election Day. A ballot that is put in the mail and postmarked by Election day but hasn't been placed in an official ballot box or arrived in an election office will not be counted!
Here's a list of locations of official ballot boxes. An official ballot box is located outside the EMU next to the Holden Center, as demonstrated by the Duck in photo on this page!
Non-partisan voter registration efforts at the UO
The Associated Students of the University of Oregon (ASUO) plan and coordinate an annual campaign, in cooperation with the Oregon Student Association, designed to ensure that University of Oregon students are registered to vote and committed to participating in elections. More here.
The University of Oregon is a partner in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, which empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in student democratic engagement. More at ALLINtoVote.org.
UO Student Voting Rates
Want to learn more about how many UO students registered to vote and voted in recent elections? The reports from the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) below show a baseline measure of UO student engagement and compare UO's rates to smiliar institutions.
Frequently asked questions
Can I register to vote in Oregon?
You can register to vote in Oregon if you:
- Are a U.S. citizen
- Have established a residential address in Oregon
- Are at least 16 years old
What Is my residential address?
For students, your residential address can be your parents’ or other family home, or your home where you are a student. You get to choose, but you can only choose one. Oregon residency requirements for voting are not the same as residency for in-state tuition purposes. Your residential address is the address that you consider home and the place you intend to return to. That address determines which candidates and measures will be on your ballot. If you live on campus and provide a campus address as your residential address, be sure to list your dormitory and room number; a PO Box is not a residential address.
What Is my mailing address?
Your mailing address is where your ballot will be mailed. It does not impact the ballot measures and candidates that appear on your ballot. Your ballot can be sent to you anywhere in the world. For example, you may list your parents’ home as your residential address, but a campus address or other PO Box at college as your mailing address.
Do I need to update my voter registration each time I move?
Yes, if your mailing address changes, you need up update your contact info so your ballot can be mailed to you. Update your mailing address here.
What If I'm from out-of-state?
You may remain registered at your home address, or you may register at your Oregon school address. You get to choose, but you can only choose one. Contact your state’s election office to receive information on updating your registration information and to request an absentee ballot if you would like to remain registered in your home state but vote while in Oregon attending school.
What If I'm studying abroad?
Update your mailing address online with MyVote or contact your county elections department.
Anything else I should know?
You may vote or be registered to vote in only one state. Voting in two places is a felony. You may only vote once; you may only vote in one county in one state. Keep this in mind when deciding if you want to list your home or school address for your voter registration. Should you accidentally receive two ballots, vote only once. If you were previously registered in another state, cancel your registration in that state when you register in Oregon.