BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – With more than 160,000 general election ballots set to be sent to voters in Deschutes County next week, County Clerk Steve Dennison is sharing important dates and information as Election Day approaches.

Register or check your voter registration

There is still time to register to vote or update your voter registration before mail-in ballots are sent out. The deadline for voter registration is Tuesday October 15.

Residents with a valid Oregon driver’s license, permit or identification card can register to vote online, or fill out a voter registration card and return it to the County Clerk/Elections Office before the deadline. Voter registration cards are available at the elections office, post offices, town halls, and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) throughout the county.

Already registered? Voters are encouraged to check their voter registration and ensure information is current. You can view and update your information online by emailing [email protected], or by calling the elections office at 541-388-6547.

Keep an eye out for voter pamphlets in the mail

Voter pamphlets with information about candidates and voting measures will be sent by post to every household in early October. The Deschutes County voter pamphlet is inserted into the center of the state’s voter pamphlet. The information is also available online at deschutescounty.gov/elections.

Ballots sent to voters

Ballots for the 2024 general election are being mailed to all registered voters Wednesday October 16. Voters who have not received their ballot by Wednesday, October 23 should contact the election office at (541) 388-6547.

Return voted and signed ballots

All ballot packages include a postage-paid return envelope. After you have voted your ballot and signed the return envelope, you can return it by mail. To qualify, your ballot return envelope must be postmarked and mailed by 8:00 PM on Election Day, and received by the Clerk’s Office within seven days of Election Day.

Many voters prefer to return their ballots in an official ballot box. There are ten official mailboxes in Deschutes County. Visit the Deschutes County Clerk’s website to find a drop-off location near you. The polls open on Friday, October 18 at 7 a.m. and close on election day, Tuesday, November 5, at 8 p.m.

*Don’t forget to sign your ballot return envelope*

Election results

Unofficial election results will be available on the Deschutes County Clerk’s website shortly after 8 p.m. on Election Day. Results are unofficial until all ballot submission deadlines have passed and every valid ballot has been counted. Certification of the official election results is published 27 days after Election Day.

You can find more information about the 2024 General Election, including answers to frequently asked questions about the county clerk/elections website.