Douglas County Ballot Returns Reach 7.76% in November Election

ROSEBURG, Ore. - Douglas County has received 6,937 ballots for the 2026 November general election, bringing the county’s participation rate to 7.76%, according to the latest update from the Douglas County Clerk’s Office.

Returns are running 2.89 percentage points behind the same reporting point in the November 2022 gubernatorial election.

Along with the turnout figures, the Clerk’s Office shared reminders about handling ballots delivered to outdated addresses, checking selections before voting, and tracking a ballot through the election process.

Residents who receive a ballot addressed to someone who no longer lives at their address should write “does not live here” on the envelope and return it through the mail. Ballot envelopes carry that instruction in large red capital letters.

Returning those envelopes helps election officials identify registration records that need attention. A ballot returned as undeliverable can cause a voter’s registration to become inactive until the information is updated. Ballot return signatures are also checked against voter registration records before ballots are accepted for counting.

The Clerk’s Office also urged voters to review their ballots carefully before returning them. Once a ballot has been cast, voters cannot change their selections.

Voters can check their registration information and ballot status through Oregon’s My Vote website. The service also provides access to registration updates, ballot drop site locations, and contact information for county elections offices and elected officials.

For those who want notifications, Oregon has provided temporary funding for BallotTrax during the 2026 general election. The service lets voters receive updates as their ballot moves through the process, including when it is accepted for counting or if a signature issue needs attention. Voters can enroll at oregon.ballottrax.net/voter.

The county’s update also addressed why a voter might occasionally receive two ballots. A late registration change can result in an initial ballot being mailed before a corrected ballot is issued. The registration system flags those ballots to ensure only one is counted.

Election officials also routinely maintain voter registration lists using state, local, and national information to identify people who have died or are otherwise no longer eligible to vote, according to the Clerk’s Office.