Spring weather and sunshine feels good — just like voting in Oregon

Oregon Secretary of State sent this bulletin at 03/29/2024 11:00 AM PDT

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Dear Oregonians,

Since 2022, the Secretary of State’s Office has produced a public service announcement campaign called Voting in Oregon Feels Good. These PSAs inform voters with accurate information from an official, trusted source. The campaign is fun as well as informative, featuring a mascot who has become a beloved and recognized figure around our office: Blobby!

In 2022, the campaign generated a 259% increase in the number of Oregonians viewing accurate information on OregonVotes.gov — that’s hundreds of thousands of people. Research shows this approach can limit the impact of false information.

We are excited to continue Voting in Oregon Feels Good into 2024 with the latest video in this campaign, shining a spotlight on all the ways we work to keep our elections accurate, safe, and secure. It’s part of why voting in Oregon feels good, which is why we have some of the highest voter turnout rates in the country.

With the May primary election right around the corner, this is also an ideal opportunity to revisit our PSA with information about closed primaries. Remember, the deadline to update your voter registration if you want to vote in a major political party’s primary is April 30, 2024! You can update your voter registration or register for the first time at OregonVotes.gov.

Sincerely,

LaVonne Griffin-Valade
Oregon Secretary of State

Our legislative team and their accomplishments!

The 2024 Short Legislative Session, which ended on March 7^th, was successful for the Secretary of State’s Office. We worked diligently to rebuild trust and pass policies that would positively make a difference in peoples' lives. Our legislative agenda focused on the needs of our divisions and enhancing the important services they provide to Oregonians.

House Bill 4019: Updating the electoral count process for the nomination of Presidential electors.
House Bill 4020: Trainings for notaries.
Senate Bill 1538: Elections Omnibus bill with technical changes.
Senate Bill 5701: The budget omnibus bill that included funding requests from our office.

Elections Division: Seeking new members for the Translation Advisory Council

The Translation Advisory Council is recruiting for new members in anticipation of vacancies and the addition of new languages to comply with Senate Bill 1533. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, meaning an interested person with proficiency in any of the identified languages should feel free to apply — but for most competitive consideration, applications should be submitted by April 15, 2024. Previous and current applications are kept on file and may be used in selecting members for current and future vacancies. New member service will begin July 2024.

To be a member of the TAC, a person must be a resident of Oregon and have civic service and lived experience in a community served by translated voters’ pamphlets or be proficient in English and one of the following languages: Arabic, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Marshallese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Ukrainian, or Vietnamese. In addition, the Secretary tentatively expects U.S. Census data will indicate the addition of Farsi, Romanian, and Somali-speaking members, and Chinese-speakers who read and write Traditional Chinese characters.

Audits Division: Strategic workforce planning audit and a panel with auditors from Mexico

The Audits Division released its performance audit of the Department of Administrative Services’ role in Oregon’s strategic workforce planning. Auditors found 25% of current workers are already retirement eligible, and many have already retired in recent years. Reports of staffing shortages, increased workloads, and employee burnout are frequent. The COVID-19 pandemic had lasting impacts on hybrid work, labor market competitiveness, and employee well-being. Auditors found Oregon needs a documented statewide strategy, skills and competency data, and better defined roles and responsibilities for DAS and other agencies.

The division also participated in a panel discussion with performance auditors from Mexico and the United States on the work they do! The National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers, and Treasurers (NASACT) hosted the knowledge exchange on March 15^th to provide an opportunity to hear how different auditors and shops approach performance auditing. Future panels will include discussions about cybersecurity and environmental auditing.

Constituent Services: Top three topics most asked about

The Secretary of State’s Office receives many requests for information or assistance each month. Below are some of the most common topics constituents reached out to us about last month, and helpful information related to those topics. If you need assistance, contact us at oregon.sos@sos.oregon.gov.

Where can I find audit reports released by the Secretary of State?

Recently released audit reports can be found on our website. You can also download and review the Secretary of State Annual Audit Plan on our website.

Why don’t I see both Republicans and Democrats on my ballot?

In Oregon, only voters who are registered members of a party can vote for the candidates in that party’s primary. Find more information on our website’s Frequently Asked Questions page.

Navigating the Employment Department’s new system for tracking claims has been challenging. Where can I check on the status of my application?

If you would like to check on the status of your application or submit claims you can do so via phone by calling 1-877-345-3484 or via email using the contact us form on their website.

For questions regarding Paid Leave Oregon, please find information on their website. You can contact Paid Leave Oregon via phone at 1-833-854-0166 or via email paidleave@oregon.govClick to edit this placeholder text.