Protect your vote – Prepare

Protect your vote – Prepare

First, I want to say I really do want to stop picking on the guy in the White House, but his daily antics test my restraint. Last week, he voted by mail in FL. for a special election. My head swiveled when I read that. So, I fact checked it, and yeah….the hypocrite really did vote by mail. (PBS, NBC,NPR,NYT) Sorry. I had to point it out.

Now the topic this week, voting rights. Primary ballots will be mailed to us April 29. There are two things we must be ready for: First, there’s a good chance the Supreme Court of the U.S. (SCOTUS) will NOT allow mail-in ballots that are received AFTER election day, May 19, to be counted regardless of the date of the postmark. We’ll know soon if this is the high-court’s decision. It will be a change for many states, including Oregon. Second, if the SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) act passes in the Senate voters may be required to prove citizenship before voting. Both, should they become our reality, are attempts to discourage voting. They create hassles and complications, but they are not insurmountable. We have time to plan and prepare.

As of December 24, 2025, the finalized postmark rule was implemented. “The official postmark date is based on the date of the first processing at a sorting facility rather than the date of collection or deposit of the item. If you want to ensure your mail receives a postmark on the day you mail it, ask a retail associate at the Post Office to hand-cancel it for free.” (USPS.com/voterinfo) To further ensure your ballot reaches the County Clerk on time to be counted mail it 7-10 days before voting day, or better still, drop it in an official “Ballot Drop Box”.

The SAVE act will require that we prove citizenship in order to have our ballots counted. Start now and make sure you have a certified copy of your birth certificate at the ready. And ladies, get a copy of your marriage certificate too to prove you legally changed your birth name to your married name. I got mine from Sacramento County where I was married. We may be asked to send copies of these documents with our completed ballots.

An important note: Driver Licenses will not be valid for proof of citizenship. Only Certified Birth Certificates or non-expired Passports will work. Don’t think “Man, this is too much work. I’ll just sit out this election, it’s only a primary.” Every vote is vital, and we must stand strong and together to keep our precious right to vote.

Resist & Act

Janet Jeffery, Gold Beach