Lane County Voters: Remember To Sign The Return Envelope And Return Your Ballots Early
- 05/11/26
Voters are urged to return their ballots as early as possible to ensure they are received at Lane County Elections by the 8:00 p.m. deadline on Tuesday, May 19.
In order to be counted, ballots must be received at Lane County Elections by:
- Regular mail. Ballots must be postmarked no later than May 19, 2026 and received no later than May 26, 2026 to be counted. USPS recommends putting a ballot in the mail seven days before the election or getting a manual hand-stamp postmark at the service counter of local post offices.
- A 24/7 County ballot drop box by 8:00 p.m. on May 19. Help save taxpayer dollars by avoiding the postage and using a drop box, managed directly by Lane County Elections.
- Lane County Elections. Ballots can be turned in by May 19, 2026 directly to the Lane County Elections Office during business hours (open until 8:00 p.m. on Election Day).
“In Oregon we have three great ways for voters to return ballots and have really focused on maximizing convenience and reducing barriers for voters,” said Lane County Clerk Tommy Gong. “As long as voters are aware of the ballot return deadlines, they can ensure their ballots are received in time to ensure their votes are counted.”
Voters must also remember to sign their ballot return envelopes before mailing or returning their completed ballot to Lane County Elections.
The signature is a security measure used to verify identity. Signatures are compared to those in the voter registration record. A ballot may only be counted if the signatures match.
If you forget to sign the envelope or your signature does not match, you will receive a notice from Lane County Elections advising you of the issue and how to fix or “cure” it. You have until the 21st day after the election to cure your signature issue and have your ballot counted.
What can you do to ensure your signature matches?
- Sign your natural signature. If you don’t usually sign with a middle initial don’t sign your ballot envelope with it. Election workers are trained to look for specific characteristics within each signature. If you think your signature has changed significantly, contact Lane County Elections.
- Don’t sign another person’s name. Even if someone gives you permission to sign, or you have power of attorney, it is against the law in Oregon to sign another person’s name on a return envelope. It’s forgery.
- Request help if you have difficulty signing. If it is difficult for you to sign, on either a temporary or permanent basis, you can complete a signature attestation form and return it to Lane County Elections. Completing this step will allow you to use a signature stamp or other indicator that represents your signature.
- Correct a mistake if you accidentally sign your name on someone in your household’s envelope. If you and another person in your household sign each other’s return ballot envelopes, simply place a line through the incorrect signatures and sign the correct envelopes.
Voters with questions can email elections@LaneCountyOR.gov or call 541-682-4234.
About the Lane County Elections Office:
The Elections Office, located at 275 W. 10th Avenue in Eugene, is responsible for conducting elections in Lane County. The Elections Office manages voter registration, the processing of mail ballots, recruitment and training of election workers, and certification of elections.
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Lane County Voters: Remember To Sign The Return Envelope And Return Your Ballots Early
- 05/11/26
Voters are urged to return their ballots as early as possible to ensure they are received at Lane County Elections by the 8:00 p.m. deadline on Tuesday, May 19.
In order to be counted, ballots must be received at Lane County Elections by:
- Regular mail. Ballots must be postmarked no later than May 19, 2026 and received no later than May 26, 2026 to be counted. USPS recommends putting a ballot in the mail seven days before the election or getting a manual hand-stamp postmark at the service counter of local post offices.
- A 24/7 County ballot drop box by 8:00 p.m. on May 19. Help save taxpayer dollars by avoiding the postage and using a drop box, managed directly by Lane County Elections.
- Lane County Elections. Ballots can be turned in by May 19, 2026 directly to the Lane County Elections Office during business hours (open until 8:00 p.m. on Election Day).
“In Oregon we have three great ways for voters to return ballots and have really focused on maximizing convenience and reducing barriers for voters,” said Lane County Clerk Tommy Gong. “As long as voters are aware of the ballot return deadlines, they can ensure their ballots are received in time to ensure their votes are counted.”
Voters must also remember to sign their ballot return envelopes before mailing or returning their completed ballot to Lane County Elections.
The signature is a security measure used to verify identity. Signatures are compared to those in the voter registration record. A ballot may only be counted if the signatures match.
If you forget to sign the envelope or your signature does not match, you will receive a notice from Lane County Elections advising you of the issue and how to fix or “cure” it. You have until the 21st day after the election to cure your signature issue and have your ballot counted.
What can you do to ensure your signature matches?
- Sign your natural signature. If you don’t usually sign with a middle initial don’t sign your ballot envelope with it. Election workers are trained to look for specific characteristics within each signature. If you think your signature has changed significantly, contact Lane County Elections.
- Don’t sign another person’s name. Even if someone gives you permission to sign, or you have power of attorney, it is against the law in Oregon to sign another person’s name on a return envelope. It’s forgery.
- Request help if you have difficulty signing. If it is difficult for you to sign, on either a temporary or permanent basis, you can complete a signature attestation form and return it to Lane County Elections. Completing this step will allow you to use a signature stamp or other indicator that represents your signature.
- Correct a mistake if you accidentally sign your name on someone in your household’s envelope. If you and another person in your household sign each other’s return ballot envelopes, simply place a line through the incorrect signatures and sign the correct envelopes.
Voters with questions can email elections@LaneCountyOR.gov or call 541-682-4234.
About the Lane County Elections Office:
The Elections Office, located at 275 W. 10th Avenue in Eugene, is responsible for conducting elections in Lane County. The Elections Office manages voter registration, the processing of mail ballots, recruitment and training of election workers, and certification of elections.
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