August updates from the Secretary of State: Meeting of the State Land Board, civic engagement, and the Oregon State Fair

Oregon Secretary of State sent this bulletin at 08/29/2024 01:00 PM PDT

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Dear Oregonians,

Last week, we released our updated Civic Engagement Toolkit for the upcoming General Election in November.

The toolkit is aimed at helping organizations do voter registration and voter turnout outreach ahead of the election. The toolkit includes a wealth of resources, from sample emails to social media content, to help spread the word about the election, get Oregonians registered to vote, and make a plan to submit their ballot in November.

Also included is a brief fact sheet with all the information you need to know for the General Election: important dates and deadlines, facts about vote by mail, and all the ways we work to maintain election integrity.

Best of all, these resources are official, non-partisan, backed by research, and completely free for anyone to use.

Oregonians are voters. Join us in helping spread the word and download the toolkit today.

Sincerely,

LaVonne Griffin-Valade
Oregon Secretary of State

Executive Office: Secretary Griffin-Valade attends the Oregon Association of County Clerks conference and State Land Board meeting

Secretary Griffin-Valade attended the State Land Board meeting in Charleston, Oregon on August 13. Along with the other members of the Land Board (Governor Tina Kotek and Treasurer Tobias Reed), Secretary Griffin-Valade initiated rulemaking to incorporate new rocky habitat designations, approved the sale of 0.57 acres of filled land along the Astoria waterfront, and authorized the South Slough Reserve to apply to become a Ramsar site.

Additionally, this August, the Oregon Association of County Clerks held its biannual event in Seaside, Oregon. The Secretary of State’s Office participates in this event in many ways, providing updates on election administration topics like technology updates, communications, and security.

We thank Oregon’s elections officials for their professionalism and integrity. They are the people who make our democracy work!

Archives: Come say hello at the Oregon State Fair!

(Left: State Archivist Stephanie Clark; right: State Librarian Wendy Cornelisen, pictured at the Oregon State Fair.)

The Oregon State Archives and Oregon State Library encourage fairgoers to stop by and see us in the Creative Living Building at the Oregon State Fair! Staff have collaborated to create a colorful and engaging exhibit all about Oregon’s incredible barns.

The Oregon State Fair began Friday, August 23rd, and continues until Monday, September 2nd.

Elections: Oregon voters will have five statewide ballot measures to consider this November

Earlier this month, the Oregon Elections Division completed signature verification for the 2024 petition cycle. Three legislative referrals and two initiative petitions were qualified to the November General Election ballot and assigned measure numbers:

Measure 115: Amends the Oregon Constitution to authorize impeachment of statewide elected officials by the Oregon Legislature with two-thirds vote by each house.

Measure 116: Amends the Oregon Constitution to establish an “Independent Public Service Compensation Commission” to determine salaries for specified officials and eliminates legislative authority to set such salaries.

Measure 117: Gives voters the option to rank candidates in order of preference, with the candidate receiving the majority of votes in the final round being declared the winner. Commonly known as “ranked choice voting.”

Measure 118: Increases the corporate minimum taxes and distributes revenue to eligible individuals.

Measure 119: Requires cannabis retailers/processors to remain neutral regarding communications to their employees from labor organizations and establish penalties.

Further information on these ballot measures will appear in the fall Voters’ Pamphlet that will go out before the election.

Constituent Services

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.

1. I purchased a vehicle from a dealership and just got it paid off. I tried to contact the dealership to obtain the title but they are no longer in business. How do I go about obtaining the vehicle title?

If the place of business that held the title is no longer in business, you will need to file for a Certificate of No Record with the Secretary of State’s Office. You can then take that certificate to the Oregon Department of Transportation and file for a replacement title.

2. How can you get an elected official removed from office?

If you would like to remove an elected official from office, this can be accomplished through direct vote. Find more information on our website here: State of Oregon: Elections - Recall an Elected Official

3. I am trying to register my business, but I am not sure which business type to register under. Who can I speak to for more information?

If you have specific questions pertaining to your business, you can contact the Office of Small Business Assistance at (503) 986-2193. They can help make sure your business complies with state requirements.

4. I got a letter in the mail saying that I had monies owed to me that have been sent to the state. How do I go about retrieving these funds?

Any unclaimed property or estate that is relinquished to the state is managed by the Oregon State Treasury. If you believe the state is in possession of funds owed to you, inquire by contacting Treasury Services at (503) 378-4000.