PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — It’s National Voter Registration Day — so how do you register to vote in Oregon?
Turns out, it’s very easy to do online if you have everything you need: an Oregon driver’s license, permit or ID card issued by the DMV. However, if you don’t have one, you can still register with a few extra steps.
Register to vote online through MyVote on the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office website, and keep reading below to learn about the criteria and more.
What are the criteria to vote in Oregon?
First off, to register to vote, you must meet the following criteria: a U.S. citizen, a resident of Oregon and at least 16 years old, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. That being said, if you are not yet 18, you will not receive a ballot until an election happens on or after your 18th birthday.
How do you register to vote through the Oregon DMV?
Fortunately, thanks to the Oregon Motor Voter law that took effect in January 2016, many Oregonians are automatically registered to vote at the DMV when they get or renew their license.
“This law makes voter registration automatic, shifting from an opt-in process to an opt-out process,” according to the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office website. “It eliminates the need to fill out the voter registration card for those with qualifying interactions at the DMV. Instead, eligible Oregonians will receive a mailing from the Oregon Elections Division explaining their options for registering to vote.”
The options include doing nothing, which leads to the voter being registered as a nonaffiliated voter, rather than being a member of a political party; choosing a political party, which allows the voter to vote in primary elections; or generally opting out of being a registered voter.
What if you don’t have an Oregon license?
Those who don’t have an Oregon license, permit or ID can still register to vote — but again, it will take a few extra steps to complete the process.
Qualified residents who fall under this category can still go online using the Secretary of State’s online voter registration site. From there, use the information entered and print it out, sign and deliver it to the county elections office to finish registering.
Click here for a list of county elections offices in Oregon.
When is the deadline to register to vote in Oregon?
According to the Secretary of State’s Office, someone who wants to register to vote ahead of the November 2022 election must do so by 11:59:59 p.m. PST on Oct. 18.