Unite Oregon Action Endorses:

Eligibility: You must be a U.S. citizen, Oregon resident, and 18+. You must register to vote by 11:59:59 p.m. Pacific Time on the 21st calendar day before an election to be eligible to vote in that election.​ You can register to vote as early as 16 although you won't be able to vote until you are 18. If you turn 18 before or on election day, just be sure to register early to meet the cut off mentioned above. If you are becoming a citizen after the registration cut off but before election day, notify your local elections office and they can prepare a ballot for the day you become a citizen.

Automatic Voter Registration: Oregon implemented automatic voter registration in 2016, also known as Motor Voter. This means that eligible citizens are automatically registered to vote when they interact with certain state agencies, such as the Department of Motor Vehicles, unless they opt out.

Register to Vote: https://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/registration.aspx

Check and Update Your Registration: https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/vr/showVoterSearch.do?lang=eng&source=SOS

Vote by Mail: Oregon is one of the states that conducts its elections predominantly by mail. Registered voters receive a ballot in the mail several weeks before the election, which they can then fill out and return by mail or drop off at designated locations. This method has been praised for increasing voter participation and accessibility.

Disenfranchisement: Oregon law prohibits individuals who are currently incarcerated for a felony conviction from voting. However, people who have completed their felony sentences, including any term of parole or probation, regain their voting rights automatically. There are also unique situations in which you can be disqualified from voting due to a court order.

If you are houseless (without a permanent address), you can still register to vote. We encourage you to check-in with a local shelter and ask to use their address to register and receive mail. You can also list a specific street corner, park, or other public place as your place of residence. If the address you list does not allow you to receive mail, you can purchase a Post Office (P.O.) Box or go to your local Elections Office and request your ballot in person. You will be asked for a form of identification if you request your ballot in person.

Ballot measures often cover important policy issues that may not have been adequately addressed by the state legislature or that are of particular interest to specific groups or individuals. They allow citizens to directly participate in the democratic process by voting on these specific laws and policies. This serves as a check on the power of the state legislature and other elected officials. They provide a mechanism for citizens to challenge or complement the decisions made by elected representatives and ensure that the government remains accountable to the will of the people.

In Oregon specifically, voting for ballot measures is significant due to the state's strong tradition of direct democracy. Oregon allows citizens to place both statutory and constitutional initiatives on the ballot through the collection of signatures. This means that voters in Oregon have the opportunity to directly shape state law and policy through the ballot measure process, making their participation in these votes particularly meaningful.

Ballot measures can serve as a laboratory for policy experimentation, allowing states like Oregon to try out new ideas or approaches to governance. Successful ballot measures can serve as models for other states, leading to the adoption of similar policies nationwide.

Voting for candidates allows citizens to choose representatives who will advocate for their interests and concerns at various levels of government. Representation is at its strongest when the candidate is truly able to understand their needs and experiences, whether that be through values or shared experiences. Elected officials make decisions on behalf of their constituents, including crafting and voting on legislation, setting public policies, and overseeing the administration of government programs and services.

By participating in elections, voters hold elected officials accountable for their actions and decisions. Through the electoral process, citizens have the opportunity to evaluate the performance of incumbents and choose whether to re-elect them or replace them with new candidates who better align with their preferences.

The Oregon primary election process is Closed which means only registered voters affiliated with a particular political party can vote for the candidate they want to represent their party in the general election. For example, only registered Democrats can vote in the Democratic primary, and only registered Republicans can vote in the Republican primary. Candidates from the same political party compete against each other in primary elections. The winner of the primary election becomes the party's nominee for that particular office and moves on to the general election, where they will face candidates from other parties and independent candidates.

In Oregon, Primary elections occur in May every even year (i.e. 2024). In odd years (i.e. 2025), elections in May are focused on local ballot measures, school boards, other local offices.

General elections in Oregon, like in other states in the United States, are held to elect various federal, state, and local government officials. Voters do not have to be affiliated with a particular party to vote. These elections typically occur on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years. During this time, in odd numbered years, there can be local ballot measures.

When engaging in electoral work, Unite Oregon Action’s focus is to use its resources to gather information regarding voting rights, provide voter education, and share value-aligned endorsements to help guide members in choosing value-aligned policies and candidates. Issues can be complex when considering a good policy idea and its true impact as law. If we feel an issue may have various voting perspectives according to our member values, we will provide all perspectives and encourage our membership to engage with one another as they come to a conclusion. Candidates can also be complicated when considering them as individuals and their true impact in the legislature. If we have concerns regarding an individual, at times going as far as changing our endorsement status, we will notify our membership with context.

Unite’s Community Campaign is a field program designed to give power to voters. Our democracy is dominated by a culture of Pay-for-Play, an environment in which those with more money have the most influence, and this includes the money to spend time. We have supported several efforts to reform Campaign Finance but know accessibility will continue to be an issue. At Unite, we provide accessibility options for your time, child care, transportation, food, translation and interpretation, and other ability needs when engaging in field activities like phone banking and door knocking. Our field activities include events hosted directly by Unite and promotion of other campaign events. We will provide a slew of opportunities for members to engage in but the decision of which field activities are attended lies in the hands of our membership.

The Board of Directors make the final decision. Endorsements are limited to the counties in which we have existing chapters (Washington county, Multnomah county, Clackamas county, Rogue Valley) or expanding chapters (Marion and Deschutes Counties). This is critical to ensure we only engage in locations our members can turnout. The premises for endorsement include values-alignment, commitments to our membership, and previous experience with our members or the issues that impact them. Our members and staff are consulted to assure alignment with the organization’s work.

The Board of Directors of a nonprofit organization is a group of individuals elected or appointed to oversee the organization's activities and ensure it fulfills its mission, vision and values. They hold the organization accountable to its legal obligations with relevant laws, regulations, and ethical standards. Additionally, the Board engages in risk management and assess the status of our operations and reputations. The primary purpose of the board of directors is to provide governance, strategic direction, and financial and fiduciary oversight.

At Unite, our boards have hiring and oversight privileges over the Executive Director.