 Legislature Passes Emergency Funding for Drop Boxes, Improved Ballot Tracking for Voters
Secretary Read advocated for these resources on behalf of Oregonians concerned about the upcoming general election amid federal attacks
SALEM, OR — Today, the Joint Emergency Board allocated $1.25 million to the Oregon Secretary of State to expand the state’s network of secure, official ballot drop boxes and provide all Oregonians greater transparency into the status of their ballot.
“I told Oregonians I would use every tool available to ensure Oregon’s elections remain secure, accurate, and fair despite ongoing federal attacks,” Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read said. “Oregonians will have more secure locations to return their ballots this election and a tool to be confident that their vote was counted. These are critical investments that will have real impact. I want to thank the Oregon Legislature and legislative leadership for their partnership in supporting Oregon’s elections.”
Secretary Read advocated for the funding request to legislators on a budget subcommittee earlier in the week. It passed both committees with unanimous support.
“Oregonians have safely and effectively voted by mail for decades. Secretary Read’s work to maintain access to vote by mail is essential during this time of unprecedented federal challenges to our elections. The funding allocated today by the Emergency Board supports the Secretary’s work and helps ensure that all Oregon voters have an opportunity to cast a ballot – a goal that we should all share,” said House Speaker Julie Fahey (D-West Eugene, Veneta), co-chair of the Joint Emergency Board.
“Thanks to Secretary of State Read, Oregonians can continue to have complete confidence in our state’s voting system. Ensuring the integrity of every ballot and protecting the principle that every vote counts are at the center of our nation’s democracy. The Joint Legislative Emergency Board’s investment in key areas supporting these ideals comes at a time when threats to derail our 30-year legacy of secure, accurate vote-by-mail elections have never been greater,” said Senate President Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego), co-chair of the Joint Emergency Board.
Emergency funding of $618,000 will pay for additional drop box locations and expenses related to an anticipated increase in drop box usage. Implementation will require county support, site preparation, and procurement.
The Secretary of State’s office conducted a comprehensive study to identify gaps in drop box availability around the state and final locations will be announced when established.
An additional $154,000 will allow the Secretary of State’s office to provide all Oregon voters access to BallotTrax, an opt-in service that gives voters updates on the status of their ballot: when it is sent, when their county receives it, and when their signature has been accepted so their ballot can be counted. Currently five counties provide BallotTrax as a service to voters and it is widely popular.
The remaining $480,000 will allow counties to send updated voter notification cards to inactive voters to continue the process of clearing old data from the inactive voter list. The impact to the upcoming election will be negligible because inactive voters cannot vote and do not receive ballots. This data management will improve public trust in Oregon’s voter rolls.
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