Register to Vote

You must be registered as a Democrat by April 29 to vote for Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary.

The Oregon Democratic Primary is May 20, 2008

Here are two easy ways to register as a Democrat:

• Pick up a voter registration form at your local DMV office, post office, or library and mail it in.
• Fill out this online voter registration form (fillable pdf), print it, and mail or deliver it to your county elections office.

Make sure to check "Democratic Party."

Deadlines:
New Registrations must be postmarked by April 29.
Party changes must be received at the Elections office by April 29.
Address changes may be made up until the final day of voting.

Primary Elections

Primary elections are held so the members of a party can choose the party's candidates for office. Members of each party choose their own candidates. Republicans cannot participate in choosing Democratic candidates, and Democrats can't participate in choosing a Pacific Green candidate. Only registered Democrats can vote for Democratic candidates in a primary election. Moreover, if you sign a petition to put a candidate for some other party on the ballot, you have effectively made a choice to participate in that party's election, and you cannot also vote in another party's primary.

If you are already registered, you may change your address anytime up to the day of the election by going to your local county elections office. If you want to change party affiliation, you must re-register, 21 days in advance.

Eligibility

You are eligible to register if:

• You are a resident of Oregon.
• You are a United States citizen.
• You are at least 17 years of age. (You will not receive a ballot until an election occurs on or after your 18th birthday.)

Voting in Oregon

To vote in Oregon, you must be registered 21 days prior to the election. You must be registered at an Oregon address and be able to receive mail there or at a separate mailing address.

Oregon is a "vote by mail" state. Ballots are all sent through the mail, and are not forwarded. You must be able to receive mail at the residence or mailing address on your registration.

Registration in Oregon includes your political party affiliation. You may choose to be "non-affiliated" - not a member of any party. This is NOT the same as "Independent", which is actually another political party.

Identification Requirements

New laws require that people must provide identifying information to register to vote. If you have a current, valid Oregon DMV Driver's License/ID, you must provide that number. If you do not have a current, valid Oregon DMV Driver's License/ID, you must 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 affirm this on the voter registration card, and if you are registering by mail, you must provide a copy of one of the following:

• valid photo identification
• a paycheck stub
• a utility bill
• a bank statement
• a government document
• proof of eligibility under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) or the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act (VAEH)