In Clackamas County, the citizens preparing for the November 5th general election are afforded multiple avenues to ensure their votes are counted. As reported by Clackamas County's official news release, voters can submit their ballots either through the mail or at any of the 26 Official Ballot Drop Sites available across the county, which are conveniently open 24/7 until the closing of polls on Election Day.
Clerk Catherine McMullen emphasized the ease of casting an early vote, "It is easy to vote early in Oregon! When you vote and return your ballot before Election Day, you ensure that school, work, or a traffic jam won’t stop your ballot from being cast on time," as stated by Clackamas County. For those who may not have received their ballots, which were initially mailed out starting October 16, McMullen advises contacting the Clackamas County Elections office. Services such as replacing lost or damaged ballots and updating voter registration are provided at voter service locations, while trying to vote, running the risk of being late is prevented.
Moreover, the county has taken steps to implement a ballot tracking system, Track Your Ballot, enabling voters to keep a vigilant eye on the status of their submitted ballots. According to Clackamas County's news, it may take "2 to 3 business days for voters to receive a ballot accepted notification" for ballots submitted to local drop sites due to processing times and volume.
Mail-in voters are urged to post their ballots early, with a strong recommendation from McMullen to place ballots in a secure USPS mailbox by November 1, "to ensure it is received on time." Ensuring the swift delivery of mail, the USPS gives priority to Official Election Mail. Ballots must be both postmarked no later than November 5th and received within one week thereafter to be counted. Election Day hours for voter service locations are extended, starting from 7 a.m. and open until the stroke of 8 p.m., as per Clackamas County.
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