Oregon Approves $1.25 Million for Ballot Drop Boxes and Statewide Ballot Tracking

Oregon election officials will receive approximately $1.25 million in emergency funding to expand access to official ballot drop boxes, introduce statewide ballot tracking and help counties update voter-registration records ahead of the general election.

The Oregon Legislature’s Joint Emergency Board unanimously approved the funding Thursday, September 10, following a request from Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read.

The largest portion of the funding, $618,000, will help establish additional secure ballot drop-off locations and cover expenses associated with an anticipated increase in drop box use. The Secretary of State’s Office recently studied ballot drop box availability across Oregon to identify communities where access may be limited.

The locations of the new drop boxes have not been announced. Establishing them will require cooperation from county election offices, along with site preparation and equipment procurement. It is not yet known whether Douglas County will receive any additional locations.

Another $154,000 will expand BallotTrax access to voters throughout Oregon. The optional service provides notifications as a ballot moves through the election process, including when it is mailed, when it is received by the voter’s county and when the voter’s signature has been accepted so the ballot can be counted.

Only five Oregon counties currently provide BallotTrax. The new funding will allow the Secretary of State’s Office to offer the service statewide.

“Oregonians will have more secure locations to return their ballots this election and a tool to be confident that their vote was counted,” Read said. “These are critical investments that will have real impact.”

The remaining $480,000 will allow counties to mail updated notification cards to inactive voters. The Secretary of State’s Office said the work will help remove outdated information from Oregon’s inactive voter list and improve public confidence in the accuracy of the state’s voter-registration records.

Officials said that portion of the funding is expected to have little effect on the upcoming election because inactive voters do not automatically receive ballots.

House Speaker Julie Fahey and Senate President Rob Wagner, who co-chair the Joint Emergency Board, said the funding will help Oregon maintain access to its vote-by-mail system and protect confidence in the election process.

Additional information about new ballot drop box locations and statewide BallotTrax enrollment is expected to be released as the programs are implemented.