With Oregon voters preparing to return ballots for the May 19 election, several of the state’s top election and civic leaders are set to participate in a statewide virtual town hall focused on voting access, election procedures, and public confidence in Oregon’s election system.
The online event, scheduled for Monday, May 11 at 3:15 p.m., will feature Tobias Read, Jeff Merkley, and Dag Robinson. The discussion will be moderated by ACLU of Oregon Executive Director Sandy Chung.
The virtual town hall comes during a busy election season across Oregon, where ballots are already arriving in mailboxes ahead of local races, school board contests, levies, and community measures appearing on the May ballot. State election officials have spent recent weeks emphasizing voter education efforts while encouraging residents to verify registration information, track ballots, and understand deadlines tied to Oregon’s vote-by-mail system.
According to organizers, the forum is intended to provide voters with direct access to election officials and public leaders while also addressing broader questions surrounding election integrity, voting rights, and ballot processing procedures. Members of the public are being encouraged to submit questions in advance as part of the statewide discussion.
Oregon has long operated under a vote-by-mail system, becoming the first state in the nation to conduct elections entirely by mail following voter approval in the late 1990s. Since then, state and county election officials have routinely pointed to ballot tracking systems, signature verification procedures, and bipartisan oversight measures as safeguards designed to maintain election accuracy and transparency.
Secretary Read has recently participated in several public outreach events focused on election education and civic participation. Organizers say the latest virtual town hall is part of a continuing effort to provide voters with accessible information directly from officials responsible for overseeing elections at both the state and county levels.
Senator Merkley’s participation adds a federal perspective to the conversation, particularly as national attention surrounding election security, voter participation, and election administration continues to remain a prominent topic across the country. Robinson, representing county clerks statewide through the Oregon Association of County Clerks, is expected to provide insight into how elections are administered locally throughout Oregon’s 36 counties.
The event will be hosted virtually through Microsoft Teams, allowing residents from across Oregon to participate remotely. Organizers say the format is intended to increase accessibility for voters who may not be able to attend in-person forums or public meetings.
The virtual town hall is open to the public, and advance registration is available online through the event RSVP page provided by organizers.