Benton County Elections staff will field questions from voters at a town hall next week as the Nov. 3 general election approaches and county officials report an unusually high volume of inquiries about the voting process.
The event is scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, in the Kalapuya Building, 4500 SW Research Way in Corvallis. A virtual option will also be available with a Zoom link to be posted on the county’s website at least 24 hours before the meeting.
The two-hour session will open with a brief presentation on election procedures and timelines. The rest of the time is set aside for questions from the public, which will be answered by a panel of elections staff.
According to the county, recent federal efforts to change voting practices have left some voters uncertain about what to expect this fall and how to make sure their ballots are counted. Benton County Clerk Darla Rush said her office has received more questions in recent weeks than it typically does ahead of an election.
“For weeks, the local and national news have been filled with conflicting information about vote-by-mail, and people are understandably concerned,” Rush said. “At the Town Hall, they can get facts about voting and be confident that their ballot will be received and counted.”
The county is urging voters to confirm their registration status and mailing address as soon as possible through the state’s MyVote website. The deadline to register or update registration for the general election is Oct. 13.
Officials also recommend that voters review the Official Voters’ Pamphlet before ballots arrive. The pamphlet was posted online Sept. 21 and will be mailed to voters Oct. 5, the same day ballots go out to absentee voters.
Ballots for in-state voters will be mailed Oct. 14, which is also when drop boxes open. The county encourages voters to fill out and return their ballots promptly so any issues that come up during processing can be resolved before Election Day.
Elections officials recommend using secure drop boxes when possible. Voters who choose to return ballots by mail should allow extra time for postal processing. Benton County recommends mailing ballots by Oct. 24, while the Oregon Secretary of State’s office recommends mailing them no later than Oct. 27.
All ballots must be in a drop box or at the Benton County Elections Office by 8 p.m. Nov. 3, when drop boxes will be locked.
Voters can confirm their ballot was received by checking MyVote or by calling the Benton County Elections Office at 541-766-6756.