Practicing our right to vote feels more valuable than ever. With issues ranging from cybersecurity, immigration, natural resources, taxes, police reform and of course COVID-19 (just to name a few) there is a lot to consider. Finding what is important to you and understanding your stance is crucial for the future of our democracy. Voting should be clear and simple to understand, so everyone can have their voice heard.
A hidden gem I’ve discovered is the organization Know Your Vote. They are a fact-based, non-partisan webpage that values primary sources. This page is great because they work to bring voters simple answers to the vast range of questions they may have.
One feature I find particularly helpful on the Know Your Vote webpage (www.knowyourvote.io) is the Build Your Ballot tab. There, you can select the issues that matter the most to you and see what policies candidates endorse and even what they’re tweeting on the matter. If you find a candidate you’d like to vote for, whether it be for President, senate, the house of representatives, or local officials, you can add them to your “ballot” and be able to keep track of who you’d like to vote for.
I’ve found Know Your Vote to be a great place to begin with for discovering what I truly care about. Easily digestible information is key to navigating your core values.
Want the exhaustive list of the Lane County candidates? Simply go onto the Secretary of State government webpage (sos.oregon.gov/voting) and select the Current Election button. There, you can find options to Download Voters’ Pamphlets for the General Election by County. Also on that page there is a ballot box locator to find the closest drop-off point near you.
Some measures that will be on the ballot include Measure 108, which is officially regarded as a measure that increases cigarette and cigar taxes and establishes a tax on e-cigarettes and nicotine vaping devices. It also funds health programs. Measure 109 is on the manufacturing, delivery and administration of psilocybin (psychoactive mushroom) at supervised, licensed facilities. Measure 110 would reclassify “personal non-commercial possession of certain drugs under specified amounts from misdemeanor or felony (depending on person’s criminal history) to Class E violation subject to either $100 fine or a completed health assessment…” from the Secretary of State webpage.
Above are only a handful of measures that will be on the ballot. Others include further measures on taxation and the regulation of campaign expenditures in Oregon. More information is available on the Secretary of State website Voter’s Guide.
So, how does the voting process work? The general elections take place on November 3rd. This year, however, things are a bit different. Due to the special circumstances caused by COVID-19 the Lane County Elections office is closed to walk-ins. This still allows for plenty of options for voters to get their vote counted.
First, voters will receive their ballot two to three weeks before the election. Once the ballot is filled out, a secrecy sleeve will be available to insert the ballot into. It’s important only one ballot is placed in each secrecy sleeve. Finally, the return envelope must be signed and returned before 8pm on November 3rd. Turn your ballots in as early as you can to ensure your vote is counted with ease!
Once voters drop-off or mail-in their ballots, they are collected by employees of Lane County Elections and enter the process of being counted. The most accessible ballot box for University of Oregon students is the box located at the EMU, on the south side of the circular plaza. For south Eugene, there is a ballot box located at the Amazon Pool on 2600 Hillyard street.
