For immediate release: Sept. 15, 2026
This release may be viewed in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, Ukrainian and Somali.
Media contact:
Multnomah County Communications, pressoffice@multco.us
NEWS RELEASE: Today is National Voter Registration Day!
Get #VoteReady for the Nov. 3, 2026, General Election.
Multnomah County, Ore. (Sept. 15, 2026) — Today is National Voter Registration Day, a nonpartisan civic holiday dedicated to celebrating democracy and helping every eligible voter get registered and #VoteReady for the Nov. 3, 2026, General Election.
This election includes federal and state contests for Congress, Oregon Legislature and Governor, as well as local contests that include the inaugural ranked choice voting (RCV) contests for Multnomah County Chair and District 2 Commissioner. Voters will also use ranked choice voting again in City of Portland Councilor and Auditor contests.
The registration deadline for this election is Tuesday, Oct. 13. Ballots will begin to be mailed to voters the next day, Wednesday, Oct. 14.
Registering to Vote
Now is the time to register or check that your voter registration information is up to date — including your current residence and mailing address. Voters who are not yet registered to vote can complete their voter registration online at: www.oregonvotes.gov/myvote. You will be asked to provide your Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) issued driver's license or state ID card number, or the last four digits of your Social Security Number, if you do not have an Oregon driver’s license or ID card.
Voters can also update their information online at www.oregonvotes.gov/myvote or with an Oregon Voter Registration Card. Paper registration cards are available in the U.S. Post Office, Multnomah County Library locations, and the Multnomah County Duniway-Lovejoy Elections Building. The Voting Center Express in Gresham will open Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, with Elections staff ready to help people register to vote and answer questions.
And finally, sign up for the free Track Your Ballot service! In Multnomah County, you can sign up to track your ballot at multco.us/info/track-your-ballot.
National Voter Registration Day
Each year in the United States, millions of eligible voters find themselves unable to vote because of easily preventable issues: missing a registration deadline, forgetting to update their registration after moving or a name change, or simply because they’re unsure of how to register.
National Voter Registration Day was created in 2012 to help address these issues by helping eligible voters get #VoteReady and ensuring their voices are heard in local, state and national elections. More than 6.5 million citizens have registered to vote on the annual civic holiday since its inception. Multnomah County alone is home to more than 580,000 registered voters.
Don’t wait. Make a plan to register or check your voter registration and VOTE in the upcoming Nov. 3, 2026, General Election.
Two ways to return your ballot
Voters have two choices when returning ballots:
- Official Ballot Drop Site: Vote as soon as you’d like once ballots arrive and return your ballot directly to any 24-hour Official Ballot Drop Box in the state or to any 24-hour Multnomah County Library Drop Site. All Multnomah County Official Ballot Drop Sites are listed at multco.us/dropsites. Ballots must be dropped off by 8 p.m. on Election Night, Nov. 3.
- By mail: Return your ballot by mail — no stamp needed! Ballots must be postmarked by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3, and arrive within seven days of Election Day to be counted. Multnomah County Elections recommends mailing your ballot by Tuesday, Oct. 27, to ensure it is received in time.
Reminder: Ranked choice voting arrives for Multnomah County candidate contests
For the Nov. 3, 2026, General Election, Multnomah County voters will join City of Portland voters in using ranked choice voting in candidate contests.
In November 2022, voters in Portland and Multnomah County approved measures to require the use of ranked choice voting for all City of Portland and Multnomah County candidate contests. Portland voters began using ranked choice voting in November 2024. All Multnomah County voters will join Portlanders in using ranked choice voting to elect County candidates starting November 2026.
Ranked choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference instead of choosing only one candidate. This method allows someone’s vote to count toward another candidate if their favorite candidate will not be elected.
Visit multco.us/rcv to learn more about ranked choice voting, practice filling out a ballot and access educational resources.
Voting Center Express opens Thursday, October 8
Multnomah County Elections will open its second location, the Voting Center Express in Gresham, on Thursday, Oct. 8, through Election Day, Nov. 3. The Voting Center Express is inside the Multnomah County East Building at 600 N.E. 8th St. in downtown Gresham. Voters will be able to replace a lost ballot, get help voting, ask questions and vote in person at the voting center.
The Voting Center Express will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Extended hours begin on Wednesday, Oct. 28, and run through Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3:
- Wednesday, Oct. 28 - Friday, Oct. 30: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 31: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
- Monday, Nov. 2: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
- Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3: 7 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Absentee ballot information
Voters who will be away from home during the voting period should ask to have an absentee ballot mailed to their temporary address or pick one up in person at the Multnomah County Duniway-Lovejoy Elections Building or the Voting Center Express at the Multnomah County East Building. Absentee ballots are available 43 days before each election (Sept. 21 for the Nov. 3, 2026, General Election).
To receive an absentee ballot, you must complete an Absentee Ballot Request Application. Find the application and more information about absentee voting at multco.us/absentee. You can also contact Multnomah County Elections at elections@multco.us or 503-988-VOTE (8683) for further assistance.
More than a quarter century of Vote by Mail
Multnomah County Elections and Oregon have been conducting reliable, safe, secure and convenient Vote by Mail elections for more than 25 years. The County’s Elections Division goes to great lengths to ensure the security and integrity of every election we conduct. Security plans and processes are part of every step of the election process, from the creation of our ballot envelopes to ballot delivery to our procedures for accurately and securely receiving and tallying ballots.
Find answers to questions about election security on the Elections Division’s website.
Multnomah County Elections wants all voters to be able to vote easily, privately and independently, understand the steps in voting, understand election rules, and know who to ask for help.
Countdown to Election Day: Nov. 3, 2026
- National Voter Registration Day: Sept. 15
- Military/overseas ballots mailed: Sept. 18
- Absentee ballots available: Sep. 21
- Out-of-state ballots mailed: Oct. 5
- Voting Center Express in Gresham opens: Oct. 8
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 13
- Ballots begin to be mailed to voters: Oct. 14
- All voters should have received their ballots: Oct. 22
- Last day recommended to return your ballot by mail: Oct. 27
- Election Day and deadline to drop off ballots or have ballots postmarked: Nov. 3
- Final election results are certified: Nov. 30
Main office:
Multnomah County Duniway-Lovejoy Elections Building
1040 S.E. Morrison St., Portland, OR 97214
Gresham location:
Open Oct. 8 - Nov. 3, 2026
Voting Center Express at the Multnomah County East Building
600 N.E. 8th St., Gresham, OR 97030
Phone: 503-988-VOTE (8683)
Email: elections@multco.us
Website: multnomahvotes.gov
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