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Voting the Ballot FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I receive my ballot?
All military and out of country ballots are sent out 45 days before an election. Ballots to out of state absentee voters are sent 29 days before Election Day. Local voters receive ballots approximately two weeks before Election Day.
Category: Election Ballot
I have moved, is that why I did not get a ballot?
If you are registered to vote by the 21st day before the election but now have a different address and you have moved within the same county, you may change your voter registration information and qualify for a ballot. If you have moved to a different county, contact the Elections Office in your new county.
Category: Election Ballot
How can I vote if I will be away from home during upcoming elections?
By applying for an absentee ballot. You may visit the Absentee page for absentee application instructions.
Category: Election Ballot
Will I be dropped as a voter if I don't vote?
No, as long as your ballot is not returned by the post office as "undeliverable" your status as a voter does not change.
Category: Election Ballot
Do I have to vote on every issue or candidate in order for my ballot to be counted?
No, vote just the candidates and measures you wish to. The ballot will still be counted.
Category: Election Ballot
If no one has filed for an office, or I don't wish to vote for the candidate(s) listed, do I have another choice?
Yes, following each office and any candidates running for it, there is a line with a voting oval to the left. You may write in any person who is a registered voter in that district, and fill in the oval next to your write-in's name. Be sure to use their legal name when writing in a person’s name. Please do not write in anyone who does not qualify to hold office, or who would not accept that office. Write-in candidates must be hand counted, indexed and researched, adding a great deal of time to the election process, and expense to that district’s election costs.
Category: Election Ballot
When filing in a write-in candidate's name, what can I do to assure their name will be counted?
Write the candidate's name clearly. Use their legal name if known. Write-in candidates must be researched to see if they are qualified to hold the office for which they are being written in. When a nickname is used, or the name is hard to read, it is sometimes impossible to determine who the candidate is, or if the candidate is qualified to hold office. Write-in votes will only be counted if the total number of write-in votes equals or exceeds the number of votes cast for any candidate on the ballot.
Category: Election Ballot
What if I forget to sign my ballot?
All signatures on ballot envelopes are checked against the voter's signature on his or her registration, and must match. Voters who forget to sign their ballot are notified and given an opportunity to provide their signature so the ballot can be counted. Voters who have significant changes in their signature should consider updating their signature so the elections office will have a current signature on file to compare ballot signatures to.
Category: Election Ballot
Oops. I made a mistake. How can I fix it?
A ballot is not cast until you place it in a ballot box, a mailbox, or hand it to an elections official. Even if the ballot has been voted, you can come to the Benton County Elections Office, surrender your first ballot and request a new one. If you do not wish to bring your ballot in, carefully erase the vote you do not want, or indicate the selection(s) of your choice in some other way.
Category: Election Ballot
What is an "undervote?"
An under vote happens when the voter chooses to not vote the allotted number of votes in any one contest.
Category: Election Ballot
What is an "overvote?"
An over vote happens when the voter marks more than the allowed responses in any one contest
Category: Election Ballot
How do you choose the order of candidate names listed on the ballot?
The Secretary of State’s Office dictates a random alpha order that names will appear on the ballot for each election. This is done in accordance with state elections law.
Category: Election Ballot
Does my ballot have to be delivered in Benton County?
A ballot can be mailed from anywhere in the world. Make sure there is enough time for it to be received by in any official ballot dropbox by 8 PM PST Election Day or postmarked by Election Day and received by the seventh day after Election Day. If you are not in Benton County, you can deliver your ballot to any official ballot drop site or County Clerk’s Office in this state. Ballots will be sent to your home county and counted there.
Category: Election Ballot
Is postage required when mailing a voted ballot?
Because of the passing of Senate Bill 861, the State of Oregon will pay for the postage on all returned ballot envelopes for Oregon registered voters.
Category: Election Ballot
How will I know if my ballot was accepted and counted?
Voters can check on line at oregonvotes.gov. Voters can also call the Benton County Elections office and ask for the status of their ballot, or come into the office and we will be glad to show you. Notifications are sent to voters whose ballot could not be accepted, in an attempt to correct the situation.
Category: Election Ballot
Can we put several ballots in one envelope?
No. It must be returned in the ballot return envelope provided to the voter.
Category: Election Ballot
If I am issued a replacement ballot, how do I know someone else will not vote my first ballot?
When ballots are lost, voters can request a replacement ballot. Before the replacement ballot is issued, the first ballot is rejected, so only the most current ballot will be counted.
Category: Election Ballot
How soon can I return my voted ballot?
You DO NOT need to wait until Election Day to vote and return your ballot. Voters are encouraged to return their ballots as soon as they have voted, this reduces the chance of misplacing it and speeds Election Day results.
Category: Election Ballot
When do ballots have to be received in order to be counted in the election?
When placing ballots in an official ballot drop box they must be received no later than 8:00 PM PST on Election Day. If you plan to mail your ballot, it must be postmarked by Election Day and received by the seventh day after Election Day.
Category: Election Ballot
When will election results be known?
The majority of ballots are counted on Election Day. Signed ballots postmarked by Election Day, can be counted until the 7th day after Election Day. Challenged ballots have 14 days after Election Day to be resolved and counted. The first round of unofficial results will be posted at little after 8:00 PM PST on Election Day.
Category: Election Ballot