A stamp will still carry your ballot where it needs to go.
    It’s a well-known fact that there is an election on, and all registered voters are urged to fill out their ballots and send them or carry them to the ballot drops at the county building or Cascade Locks City Hall.

Through Thursday, May 13, voters can mail their ballots in and be assured they will arrive in time to be counted. After that date, it’s best to hand-deliver ballots.

Ballots are due on May 18 at 8 p.m. — postmarks do not count. 

Ballots may be delivered to the county building, Sixth and State streets in Hood River, or to Cascade Locks City Hall.

It used to be that the act of voting was a simple process: go to the polling place, sign in, and take your ballot into the booth.

Now, voting in Oregon is done completely by mail — a simpler method on some levels, because one can turn in the ballot or mail it, after voting at leisure in the home, office, or car (but not while it’s moving, please).

But according to the County Elections office, voting by mail can still come with complications, it would seem.

Officials are still seeing a number of ballots with two basic — and disqualifying — factors:

One is the wrong signature on the outer envelope.

Voters need to remember to only mark the ballot bearing their name, and to sign the envelope accordingly. Do not sign a ballot envelope that does not belong to you.

Second, some voters are dropping off ballots in the secrecy envelope alone, or signing the secrecy envelope.

Signing the secrecy envelope defeats the purpose; voters need to remember to insert the ballot inside the secrecy envelope, and put that envelope inside the outer, larger, envelope. Then, sign that. And, again, sign only with your name, and in the way matching the signature on your voter registration.

Following these envelope and signature steps is the only way to ensure your ballot gets counted.

Without an authorized way of verification, some ballots may have to be thrown out.

If you have a problem with either of the envelopes, replacements are available from the county. For help with that, or other voting questions, call 541-386-1442.

Whatever happens, please vote. The only wasted vote is the one not cast.