Register now or hold your peace.
Tuesday, April 28, is the last day eligible Oregonians can register to vote in the May 19 primary election — or tweak their registration in order to participate in some of the juicier contests.
Oregon’s Democratic and Republican parties hold closed primaries. Only voters registered to the party get to have a hand in picking nominees for the state Legislature, governor and other partisan races.
That system means a plurality of the state’s registered voters will have no say in those contests until the November general election. Roughly 1.3 million of the state’s 3 million voters are registered as nonaffiliated or to a third party.
Among the most notable partisan races set for May 19 is the GOP gubernatorial primary to determine which Republican will face Gov. Tina Kotek in November. (Kotek also faces challengers for the Democratic nomination, but is expected to easily clear the field.) There are also competitive legislative primaries around the state, including energetic challenges to moderate Democrats in Hillsboro and Lake Oswego.
Democrats and Republicans won’t be the only ones making weighty decisions, though.
Every registered Oregon voter will receive a ballot that contains, among other things, the question of who should serve as the state’s next labor commissioner. All voters will also get a say on Measure 120, which will dictate whether a package of taxes and fees legislative Democrats passed to fund road maintenance can take effect.
If you’re not yet registered, or want to check or change your party affiliation, it’s easy to do so at the Secretary of State’s website. You’ll be asked to furnish a state driver’s license or ID number, or the last four digits of your social security number. Oregonians can also visit county elections offices to register.
Voters must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years old on Election Day to participate in the election.
Eligible Oregonians have until midnight Tuesday to make changes. Ballots begin going out Wednesday.
This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
