With Oregon’s May 19 statewide election now one week away, state election officials are encouraging voters across Southern Oregon to stop mailing ballots and instead use official ballot drop boxes to ensure votes are counted on time.
The warning comes as concerns continue over slower mail delivery times following recent service reductions within the United States Postal Service system. According to state officials, ballots mailed too close to Election Day may not receive a postmark in time or may fail to arrive at county election offices within the state’s required grace period.
Under Oregon law, mailed ballots must be postmarked no later than Election Day and received by county election offices within seven days after the election in order to be counted. Election officials say voters who continue using the mail during the final week before Election Day risk delays that could prevent ballots from meeting those deadlines.
The issue is considered especially significant for voters living in Eastern, Central, and Southern Oregon, where outgoing mail often travels long distances before processing. State officials noted that ballots from these regions are commonly routed through Portland for postmarking before being sent back to local county election offices for counting.
Because of those additional travel and processing times, election officials are advising voters in communities throughout Southern Oregon to use official ballot drop boxes whenever possible rather than relying on standard mail service during the final days of voting.
For voters who still plan to return ballots through the mail, state officials recommend taking ballots directly into a United States Post Office and requesting a manual postmark from postal employees. Officials say this extra step may help ensure ballots receive a timely and visible postmark before Election Day.
Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read said ballot drop boxes remain the most dependable option for voters who want to make certain their ballots are received and counted without delay.
Election officials also reminded voters that official ballot drop boxes remain available statewide and can be used up until 8 p.m. on Election Day. Any ballot returned after that deadline will not be counted.
The Secretary of State’s Office has also made an online ballot drop box locator available to help voters identify the nearest official return site in their area. Counties across Southern Oregon, including Josephine, Jackson, Douglas, Klamath, Curry, and surrounding regions, maintain multiple secure drop box locations during election periods.
Oregon has conducted elections primarily through vote-by-mail systems for more than two decades, with ballots automatically mailed to registered voters statewide. The system has historically depended heavily on reliable mail delivery and timely ballot processing.
As Election Day approaches, officials are encouraging voters not to wait until the final hours to return ballots, especially in rural parts of Oregon where transportation and postal timelines can vary significantly.