Douglas County Ballot Returns Near 50% As Election Day Approaches

Nearly half of Douglas County’s registered voters have returned their ballots for the November 3 general election, with the latest county update showing 44,518 ballots received.

The participation rate stands at 49.77%, putting the county 0.57 percentage points ahead of its pace at the same point in the 2022 gubernatorial general election.

With Election Day on Tuesday, county officials are reminding voters to pay close attention to ballot return deadlines, particularly if they plan to use the mail.

Returning Your Ballot

Douglas County has 17 official ballot drop sites available for voters to return their ballots by 8 p.m. Tuesday, November 3. Ballots placed in official drop boxes are collected and delivered directly to election officials for processing.

Voters can also return ballots through the U.S. Postal Service, but dropping an envelope in a blue collection box does not guarantee it will receive that day’s postmark. Check the posted pickup times, since mail deposited after the final collection may not be postmarked until the next postal business day.

For those mailing ballots close to the deadline, election officials recommend going inside a post office and asking for a hand-cancellation stamp, or manual postmark.

Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received by the county elections office within seven days afterward to qualify for counting. Oregon’s Secretary of State encourages voters to use an official drop box as the deadline approaches.

A Signature Notice Does Not Mean Your Ballot Cannot Count

Election workers compare the signature on each ballot return envelope with signatures in the voter’s registration record. An unsigned envelope or a signature that cannot be verified triggers a notice explaining how the voter can correct the issue.

Voters who receive a notice should follow its instructions and contact the county elections office with questions. The process, known as “curing” a signature, gives voters an opportunity to resolve the challenge so their ballot can be counted.

For this election, the deadline to resolve ballot challenges is November 24, which is 21 days after Election Day.

The county’s update also outlined safeguards used during ballot processing, including controlled checkpoints, review procedures and video surveillance at designated election facilities. Those measures help maintain a documented chain of custody as ballots move through the process.

Voters can check their ballot’s status through Oregon’s My Vote website.