Deschutes County Elections Office shares deadlines, other key info to know for May 21 primary

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The May 21 Primary Election is underway, and the Deschutes County Elections Office is sharing some important information with voters as they prepare to exercise their right to vote.

If you are an active registered voter in the county, you should expect to receive an official primary ballot by mail in early May. Once you vote your ballot, you can return it either by mail or at any of the secure, official drop boxes available throughout Deschutes County.

In Oregon, the two major political parties, Democratic and Republican, have chosen to hold closed primaries. This means that only voters who are affiliated with one of these political parties can vote in that party’s primary.

“Nonaffiliated voters and voters affiliated with a different political party than the Democratic or Republican parties will still receive ballots for this election, but only for non-partisan contests, like judicial offices, County Commissioner or local measures,” said County Clerk Steve Dennison. 

“It is recommended that voters review their registration online or call our office to ensure their information is up to date. Voters can access, review and update their information through the My Vote portal on the Secretary of State’s website.”

Here is some important information and dates you should know for the 2024 Primary Election:

• April 30 – Deadline to register to vote, update your voter registration, or affiliate with a major political party.
• May 1 – Ballots mailed to voters. All ballots include a postage-paid return envelope for you to mail in your voted ballot, or if you prefer, you can drop it off at an official ballot drop box location.
• May 3 – Deschutes County drop boxes open for voted ballots. Visit the Deschutes County Clerk website to find a drop box location near you.
• May 21 – Election Day. Ballots must be received at a drop box by 8 p.m. or postmarked by the United States Postal Service (USPS) by this date and received by the Clerk’s Office by Tuesday, May 28, 2024 to be counted.

Preliminary election results will be available on the Deschutes County Clerk website  starting at 8 p.m. on Election Day.

You can find more information and the answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the County Clerk/Elections website.