Trump Proof Your Election Plans--Vote

Trump Proof Your Election Plans! — Part 2

by Stefan Jones, Washington County Dems Communications Committee Member

Thanks to the Washington County Elections Office for their detailed answers to my questions about replacement ballots!
Back in March I wrote Trump Proof Your Election Plans, which discussed two measures which make mail-in voting more difficult. Things have changed since then. Some of it is good news, some of it is bad news. Let’s go over the challenges, starting with an update of the two I covered last time:

Delayed Postmarks

It used to be that a letter was postmarked — indicating when it was mailed, and where — by the first post office that handled it. In the name of efficiency, the USPS decided that letters wouldn’t be postmarked until they hit one of several regional postal processing centers. This could artificially postpone the postmark date by several days. This means letters mailed several days before Election Day might not be postmarked until after Election Day.

Bad News: This change in postmark handling is still in effect.

What You Can Do: Use a drop box. If you must mail your ballot, do it early, at least five days ahead of Election Day. If you are up against a wall, go to a post office during business hours and have the clerk hand-cancel your ballot envelope and have them mail it immediately.

Late Arriving Ballots

A lawsuit against Louisiana would have forced election officials to not count ballots which arrived after Election Day even if they were postmarked on or before Election Day. This would mean mailing ballots earlier enough to arrive at the election office before or on Election Day.

Good News: The Supreme Court rejected the lawsuit.

What You Can Do: Get your ballots postmarked and mailed, or deposited in a drop box, in a timely manner. If a mailed ballot arrives up to one week after Election Day, your vote will still count.

The SAVE Act

The SAVE act is Donald Trump’s draconian proposed law designed to keep non-citizens from voting. Its standards for IDs required to register to vote would make it difficult for many citizens to register, including women who have changed their names when they got married.

About the SAVE Act: The SAVE Act: What every American Voter Needs to Know

Good News: Congress shows no inclination to pass the SAVE Act. The Filibuster is preventing the GOP-dominated Senate from moving it forward . . . and the political will to shred precedent and bash it through doesn’t seem to be there. It is doubtful it will be implemented in time for the 2026 Midterms. If the GOP loses either house of Congress, it will likely be a dead letter.

What You Can Do: VOTE. End the GOP majorities in the House and Senate. And urge your members of congress to oppose the SAVE Act in the future. And urge them to support laws to protect the vote and oppose gerrymandering.

The USPS Ballot Grab Executive Order

The president issued an Executive Order which would require the United States Post Office to intercept vote-by-mail ballots on their way to voters if the recipient is not on a list of eligible citizens. For background on the EO: Trump issues second executive order on elections, giving U.S. Postal Service unprecedented control over mail voting

This is blatantly unconstitutional, would be difficult to implement, and would lend itself to partisan purges of voters. (Would you trust the people behind the DOGE fiasco to protect your right to vote?) Indeed, the USPS has rushed the program’s implementation and is running into problems. AP Story: Postal Service work to comply with Trump’s executive order is rushed and sloppy, a whistleblower contends

Some analysis from Democracy Docket.

Bad News: The administration is desperate. Trump’s polling is horrific, and polls show the GOP losing the House and likely the Senate. The USPS is barreling forward with its ballot grabbing scheme, and Trump could order it to implement it spite of court orders.

Good News: Full implementation of the system is currently blocked by a judge’s order. There is still a lot that legal challenges could do, and the whistle blower report gives challengers ammunition in the courts.

What You Can Do:

Chances are everything will be OK. But if you are still concerned that a version of the ballot scanning system will be in place, don’t panic. Here’s what to do:

There are two legs to a ballot’s journey. It will be mailed to you (starting October 19th for most voters) via the USPS from the election office. After filling it out you must either mail it back or use an official drop box.

Let’s cover the outbound trip first. You can track your ballot via two methods. To track your ballot by MyVote, go to theOregon Secretary of State Elections Division.

You can also use an enhanced system called BallotTrax. Voters are notified when their ballot is sent, received, and accepted. If there is an issue with their ballot, the voter will receive a message (text, email, or phone call) informing them of the issue and a letter with instructions for how to resolve the issue is sent soon thereafter.

Washington County voters may enroll in the BallotTrax program at: https://washcovotes.ballottrax.net/voter/.

Once you get your ballot, consult your Voter’s Pamphlet (and our slate card!) and fill it out right away. Seal the ballot in your individual bar-coded return envelope, sign the envelope, and return it ASAP.

As of this writing, Secretary of State Read is recommending you use a drop box you can find a list of Washington County Ballot Drop Boxes here.

If you must use the post office, mail the ballot at least five days before Election Day.

Replacement Ballots

If your ballot was mailed by the election office, and doesn’t arrive within a week, contact the county election office and request a replacement. Voters can request a replacement ballot online, over the phone, or in person.

Washington County Election Office
2925 NE Aloclek Drive, Suite 170
Hillsboro

This is just north of Cornell Avenue, one signal east of Cornelius Pass Road.

The phone number is 503-846-5800. The email address is elections@washingtoncountyor.gov.

Before October 29th voters can choose to have their replacement ballot mailed or held for pickup at the Washington County elections office. After October 29th all ballots must be picked up by the voter.

If He Challenges the Result

Once again: He’s desperate, and he’s used to getting his way. If the GOP suffers a humiliating defeat, and the chances for that are very good, Trump — with the support of the GOP — will cry foul and try to overturn the results. Courts and state officials will fight back, and if 2020 is any example they will succeed.

We must be ready to do our part. Overturning an election means it is time for pitchforks and torches . . . metaphorically, of course. It will be time for standing up, hitting the streets, and speaking out. We need to deploy protesters everywhere. Every overpass, the corners of every intersection, and outside of government offices.

Beyond the usual protests: We can’t let mucking with an election stand. Civil disobedience, a general strike . . . whatever it takes to shut things down and let the administration know that Americans won’t stand for an assault on our Democracy.

The TL;DR

  • Register to Vote if you haven’t already. Register here
  • Update Your Registration if you’ve moved or changed your name. Validate and update here
  • Sign up for BallotTrax so you know when your ballot is mailed to you, and when it arrives after you drop it off.
  • Look over your Voter’s Pamphlet ahead of time. Check out our Endorsed Candidates.
  • When your ballot arrives, fill it out, seal it in the provided individual envelope, and either mail it in by Wednesday October 28th or bring it to an official Washington County Drop Box
  • If your ballot doesn’t arrive by Monday October 25th, contact the Washington County Elections Office and ask about a replacement.
  • And help others get ready to vote!