Tired of being bombarded with election ads on your television and in your mailbox? Tired of the talking heads on cable news yakking on about the significance of the midterms? Take heart; the election is just two days away.
You may already have mailed your ballot. If not, there is still plenty of time. This year, more time than ever, thanks to a change in the law allowing ballots to be postmarked on Election Day and still be eligible to be counted as long as they arrive within seven days.
That new deadline, and the fact that the state now pays for the postage on ballots, means we can honestly say voting in Oregon has never been easier.
Despite all that, voters haven’t shown a great deal of enthusiasm so far. The Oregonian reported that as of Thursday, 29% of ballots had been returned to county elections offices statewide. That’s below the 33% return rate for the same point in the 2014 and 2018 midterm elections.
It still puts Oregon toward the top of state turnouts in advance of Election Day. The United States Elections Project reports Montana, Georgia and Oregon were the top three states for early voting turnout.
Oregon paved the way for vote-by-mail, and has successfully conducted all-mail elections for two decades.
If the later postmark deadline prompts more Oregonians to cast ballots, we’re for it. Otherwise, we’re not convinced it was necessary, and may just delay final results if county elections offices must wait for seven days of mail deliveries to determine the outcome of close races.
Oregonians are well-versed in voting by mail, and it’s hard to see how encouraging procrastination is a benefit. The last thing Oregon or any state needs is to encourage doubters to raise questions about the integrity of the system.
We have noted before that Oregon has one of the most secure, efficient voting systems in the country, using paper ballots that allow accurate audits and recounts when necessary, and counting machines that are not connected to the internet and cannot be hacked.
If you still have a ballot sitting on your kitchen table or wherever mail accumulates in your house, dig it out and make your choices.
If you’ve misplaced your Voters’ Pamphlets, you can find state and county pamphlets online at the secretary of state’s website.
Drop your completed ballot in the mail — postage is prepaid — or in one of the county’s secure drop boxes situated at county libraries in Ashland, Phoenix, Rogue River, Eagle Point, Central Point and Medford, and outside the county Elections Department, 1101 W. Main St., in Medford. If you choose to use a mailbox Tuesday, make a note of the pickup time to be sure it will be postmarked on Election Day. Ballot drop boxes are open until 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Above all, vote.
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November 06, 2022 at 02:00PM
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Two days left: If you haven't voted, just do it - Mail Tribune
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