A message from Multnomah County Elections Director Tim Scott (left) and Oregon Secretary of State's Civic and Education Elections Director Nikki Fisher (right).
Ballots postmarked on Election Day now count; Vote-By-Mail system remains a reliable, trusted and accessible system
The new year often brings new resolutions, new laws, rules and overall new challenges. So far, 2022 is bringing its own share of unique challenges — but accessibility and ease in casting your ballot is not one of them.
Postmarks count in 2022
Thanks to the passage of House Bill 3291, also known as the “postmarks” bill, Oregonians now have more time to mail back their ballots, with prepaid postage. As you may recall, ballots have historically been due to the County Elections Office or an Official Ballot Drop Site by 8 p.m. on Election Night in order to be counted — ballots postmarked on Election Day did not count. But starting this year (2022), ballots that are in the mail and postmarked by the United States Postal Service (USPS) on Election Day will be counted.
Please note, this change only applies to those who wish to mail their ballot. Official Ballot Drop Sites throughout the state will still close at 8 p.m. on Election Night. However you choose to cast your ballot, Multnomah County Elections, alongside election officials across the state, are committed to reliable, convenient, secure and accessible elections.
Multnomah County continues #TrustedInfo2022 campaign
We are fortunate to live in a state where nearly 70 percent of voters supported the implementation of a vote-by-mail system in 1998 through a ballot measure that established the blueprint for secure and successful elections across the state. For more than two decades, Oregon’s Vote-By-Mail system has led to accurate and fair elections of measures and candidates across party lines. But in the past two general election cycles, we have seen how rampant misinformation, disinformation and mal-information (MDM) can erode trust and promote conspiracy theories.
That’s why Multnomah County Elections continues to partner with the Secretary of State’s Office to promote the National Association of Secretaries of State campaign to counter misinformation, disinformation and mal-information (MDM). The #TrustedInfo2022 initiative is a nonpartisan effort to highlight state and local election officials and their websites as trusted sources for election information.
By driving voters directly to election officials’ websites and verified social media pages, we can help ensure that voters know where to find accurate election information. For example, Multnomah County voters can find accurate, trusted information about the upcoming May 17, 2022 Primary Election at MultnomahVotes.gov.
Ways to avoid misinformation, disinformation and mal-information
- Be a prepared, participating and patient voter: Have a plan for casting your vote; understand your options, including voting by mail or using an Official Ballot Drop Site early or on Election Day. Get involved as an election worker to support the democratic process.
- Think before you link: Check your sources before sharing content on social media or through email.
- Be careful what you post: Be mindful of what you are sharing or posting online. Make sure you are not sharing content broadly that you mean only for close family and friends.
- Be wary of manipulative content: Watch out for emotionally manipulative content designed to make viewers angry or sad. Take care when viewing or sharing content that uses sensational terms intended to cause mistrust and division.
- Rely on trusted sources: For election information, rely on official election websites and verified social media accounts.
Remember the facts about Oregon’s Vote-By-Mail elections
Our paper ballot system offers:
- Inherent security that’s bolstered by ballot-counting systems that are never connected to the internet.
- A paper trail from the casting and counting of ballots to election certification.
- Many voters can use the Track Your Ballot service to watch their ballot move through the acceptance process.
Multnomah County Elections continues to provide factual information and resources about our elections processes and encourage voters to seek credible, official sources for information about elections.
Above all, we will continue to build and reinforce trust in the system that has proven itself time and time again.