Oregon 2026 elections

Contests on the board in Oregon

The general-election contests the Ledger tracks in Oregon, each with the raters' current call, the newest public polling and the money reported.

Candidate profiles from Oregon

OR-SEN · Oregon

David Brock Smith

Oregon state senator from Port Orford, former state representative and Curry County commissioner; Republican nominee for U.S. Senate against Jeff Merkley.

Read David Brock Smith's recordThe race

Key dates and deadlines

Read from the Oregon Secretary of State, Elections Division on Sep 17, 2026. The authority's own page, linked beside each date, is the final word — confirm it before you act.

• Voter registration deadlineOctober 13, 2026 — 21 days before Election Day — is the last day to register to vote in the November 3, 2026 general election. Registration cards postmarked by that date, or registrations submitted online no later than 11:59 pm that day, are valid. If you are already registered in Oregon, you can update your voter registration information until 8 p.m. on Election Day and still vote. If you will become a U.S. citizen after the cutoff day but before Election Day, you can still vote: contact your county elections office before the cutoff day to let them know. sos.oregon.gov
• Online registration deadlineOctober 13, 2026, by 11:59:59 p.m. Pacific Time, the 21st calendar day before the election: a new registrant must submit the online registration by then to be eligible to vote in this election. The Secretary of State's 2026 registration flyer prints this deadline as “Tuesday, October 13th by 11:59:59 p.m. PST”. sos.oregon.gov
• Registration by mail: postmark deadlineA paper voter registration card must be postmarked by October 13, 2026. The card says to mail it or drop it off at your county elections office. sos.oregon.gov
• In-person registration deadlineOctober 13, 2026. Oregonians can register in person at the county elections office or at certain state agencies like the DMV, and the deadline to register is 21 days before Election Day. The Secretary of State's pages print no closing hour for registering in person on that day. sos.oregon.gov
• Ballots mailed to votersBallots are mailed to voters from October 14, 2026 (first day) through October 20, 2026 (last day); no request is needed. Other mailing dates on the Secretary of State's calendar: September 19, 2026, last day to mail ballots to military and overseas voters; September 21, 2026, first day the county clerk may provide, in person or by mail, a ballot to a voter who will be away during the election; October 5, 2026, first day to mail ballots to voters with a non-Oregon mailing address who are not military or overseas voters; October 29, 2026, last day counties are required to mail absentee, reissued or replacement ballots. sos.oregon.gov
• Deadline to return your ballot (postmarked by Election Day, or in an official drop box by 8 pm)November 3, 2026 is the last day to return your ballot. A ballot that is mailed must be postmarked by Election Day, and November 10, 2026 is the last day for valid postmarked ballots to be received by mail. A ballot deposited in an official drop box must be received by 8 pm on Election Day. The Secretary of State advises mailing your ballot at least 1 week before Election Day and, if you mail it close to Election Day, visiting a USPS office for a free manual postmark. sos.oregon.gov
• Election DayNovember 3, 2026. Oregon will hold a statewide general election that day, and all registered voters can participate, regardless of their party affiliation. sos.oregon.gov
• Election Day hours: County Clerk's offices and official drop sitesOregon is an all vote-by-mail state, so there are no polling-place hours to list. On Election Day, November 3, 2026, the County Clerk's office is open 7 am - 8 pm and official drop sites are open until 8 pm; a ballot deposited in an official drop box must be received by 8 pm. The Secretary of State's calendar prints no time zone for these hours. sos.oregon.gov

Official voting tools

These links go to the state's own tools. The Ledger does not collect registrations or ballots.

Rules to know

• ID and your signature

  The Secretary of State's instructions for filling out and returning a ballot do not mention showing ID. They tell you to sign the return envelope: trained election officials compare the signature on your ballot envelope with the signatures in your voter registration record, and the signature is essential for the ballot to be verified and counted. Identification is requested when you register. The voter registration card asks for a valid Oregon driver license, permit or ID number or, without one, the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. If you have neither, provide a copy of one of the following that shows your name and current address: valid photo identification, a paycheck stub, a utility bill, a bank statement, a government document, or proof of eligibility under UOCAVA or VAEH. Read from: sos.oregon.gov

• Voting by mail

  You do not have to request a ballot: active registered voters receive an official ballot to complete and return. Place the completed ballot in the return envelope provided, seal it and sign the envelope. Return it by mail — no postage needed — or at any official drop box across the state; you may also hand-deliver it to your county elections office. If you will be away from your home address during the election — for example, a student at an out-of-state college or a voter who is traveling — fill out the Absentee Ballot Request Form (SEL 111) and return it to the county elections office, or update online using My Vote; starting September 21, 2026, the county clerk may provide a ballot, in person or by mail, to a voter who will be away during the election. A voter whose registration status is inactive will not receive a ballot. If your ballot is damaged or lost, contact your county elections office; October 29, 2026 is the last day counties are required to mail absentee, reissued or replacement ballots. Read from: sos.oregon.gov

• Returning your ballot before Election Day

  Oregon is an all vote-by-mail state, so the Secretary of State publishes no early-voting dates or early-voting sites: voting early here means returning your ballot before Election Day. Official drop sites are available 24/7 from the time ballots are mailed until 8 p.m. on Election Day, and you can also drop off your ballot directly at your county elections office during the voting period (check your county elections website for its hours). Find the nearest drop site on your county elections website or at oregonvotes.gov/dropbox; the Secretary of State says its Drop Box Locator will become available after ballots are mailed to voters 20 days before the election. Read from: sos.oregon.gov

• Track your ballot

  You can track your ballot's progress on the Secretary of State's website by entering your name and date of birth in My Vote. My Vote also lets you check if you are registered to vote, view and update your voter registration, check the status of your ballot, and find a ballot drop site and the contact information for your county elections office. Some counties offer ballot tracking that notifies voters by text, phone or email when the ballot is mailed and again when it has been accepted for counting. Read from: sos.oregon.gov

• If your signature is missing or does not match

  If the signature on your ballot envelope is missing or does not match, you will be notified and have 21 days after Election Day to confirm it, so your vote can be counted. The Secretary of State's 2026 calendar lists November 24, 2026 as the last day to resolve ballot challenges. A “challenged ballot” status usually means there was a problem with the signature on your ballot envelope: you will receive a letter with information on how to fix the issue, and you can contact your county clerk to resolve it. Read from: sos.oregon.gov

• Voting after incarceration

  The Secretary of State's FAQ answers “Can formerly incarcerated people vote?” with “Yes.” Once released from incarceration a person is immediately eligible to vote again, but must re-register (or update their registration). The FAQ adds that voters should double check that their address is accurate when registering or updating their registration. Read from: sos.oregon.gov

• Voting materials in Spanish and other languages

  The Secretary of State translates the voters' pamphlet for Oregonians who speak languages other than English. For the November 3, 2026 general election, the State Voters' Pamphlet will be available online on September 29, 2026 and will be delivered to every residence address in Oregon October 7 - 9; the translated State Voters' Pamphlet and translated county voters' pamphlets — Spanish is among the languages listed — will be available online on October 9, 2026. The paper voter registration form is available in multiple languages, the online voter registration page offers Español as a language choice, and the 2026 Elections Toolkit has official Spanish-language flyers. Read from: sos.oregon.gov

On the statewide ballot

Offices on the November 3, 2026 statewide ballot, per the Oregon Secretary of State, Elections Division:

U.S. Senate · Governor

Questions and answers