Register to Vote

To register, update your registration (name, address, political party change), or check your registration status online please visit the Secretary of State's website.

Can I register to vote online?

You may register to vote online.  Visit the Oregon Secretary of State - Elections Division (http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/).

Where can I Get a Voter Registration Card?

• Online (Forms & Documents under Related Information)
• Qwest telephone book (generally the last page of the Government section)
• County Clerk's Office
• Post Offices
• City Halls
• County Libraries
• Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

When Do I Need to Update my Registration?

• The first time you register to vote in Deschutes County
• Your name changes
• Your signature changes
• You change your party affiliation
• Your residence and/or mailing address changes

Absentee Voting

To register as an absentee voter, you must be currently registered in Deschutes County. If you are not an active registered voter in Deschutes County, please also complete and submit a Voter Registration Card. If we receive an absentee request without an active registration, it will delay processing your request.

Military or Out of Country. Ballots for military voters and voters living outside the United States will be mailed the 45th day before an election. Federal Voting Assistance Program, Voting Help for Uniformed Service Members, Their Families & Citizens Living Outside the U.S. Information and a Federal Post Card Application (Registration and Absentee Ballot Request) are available from the Federal Voting Assistance Program (see Link under Related Information).

Who May Register to Vote?

ALL of the following criteria must be met:

• Residents of the State of Oregon.
• Citizens of the United States of America.
• Persons at least 17 years of age.
  Note: If you are 17 years of age, you will not receive a ballot until an election occurs on or after your 18th birthday.

When May I Register?

You may register at any time. However, your voter registration card must be postmarked by the 21st day before the election at which you intend to vote.

What Information is Required?

You are required to furnish your full name, date of birth, signature, and residence address (and mailing address, if different than your residence address). Your residence address must be the address where you reside - not a post office box.  You will also be asked to provide your political party preference.

The federal "Help America Vote Act 2002" now requires individuals registering to vote in federal elections to provide identifying information with their voter registration card.  These federal requirements require a person registering to provide the following identifying information with the voter registration card:

• If you have a current, valid Oregon DMV Driver’s License/ID, that number must be provided on the voter registration card;
• If you do not have a current, valid Oregon DMV Driver’s License/ID, you must check the appropriate box on the registration card and provide the last four digits of your Social Security number;
• If you do not have a current, valid Oregon DMV Driver’s License/ID or a Social Security number, you must check the appropriate boxes on the registration card and provide a copy of one of the following:
  • A current and valid photo identification that shows your name. If an expiration date is provided on the photo identification that identification must not have expired; or
  • A current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address. The address listed must match the residence or mailing address submitted on your voter registration card.

Do I Have to Re-Register for Each Election?

No. You need to update your registration only when:

• Your residence or mailing address changes;
• Your name or signature changes; or
• You wish to change your party affiliation.

Do I Have to Register by Party?

No. If you do not want to be affiliated with a political party, you may check the box that states "Not a member of a party." You may not designate or change a party affiliation after the 21st day before the primary election.

How Do I Know if I Am Properly Registered?

You may check your registration status on the Secretary of State's website (see Link under Related Information).

Clerk's Office

News & Events

Related Information

Other Pages

• Register to Vote
• Political Party Contacts
• Frequently Asked Questions about Voting