Join the Source Member program. Support local, independent journalism in Central Oregon!

Voting in Bend? Don't Make These Mistakes if You Want Your Ballot Counted

[
        {
          "name": "Air - Ad - Rectangle - 2 pack - Inline Content - 1",
          "insertPoint": "1/2",
          "component": "16844684",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "6"
        }
        
        ,{
          "name": "Air - Ad - Rectangle - 2 pack - Inline Content - 2",
          "insertPoint": "1/4",
          "component": "16844686",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "20"
        },{
          "name": "Air - Ad - Rectangle - 2 pack - Inline Content - 3",
          "insertPoint": "3/4",
          "component": "16844687",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "17"
        }
      ]

Are you a voter? Do you want your vote to count? Here are a few (rather important) things you might not know about turning in your ballot.

DO NOT send it in the mail if you have not already. Despite what you might hear from the State Elections Office, a ballot send from within Bend (or other rural parts of the state) will not arrive in time to be counted because our mail gets routed through Portland. Crazy, but it's true.

DO NOT put your ballot in a make-shift drop box at the local market/bar/whatever. There are official drop boxes for that. Deschutes County Clerk Nancy Blankenship (aka our local election boss lady) advises voters treat their ballot like they would their mortgage payment. "You need to be careful in considering who you give it to," she says.

On a related note, if you are a local market/bar/whatever and you feel like putting out a make-shift drop box to help encourage your customers vote, BE ADVISED there are State laws about what you can and cannot do. Unless you have a sign next to the box, in all-caps 50-point font stating: NOT AN OFFICIAL BALLOT DROP SITE (no joke, read the the law here) you may be breaking the law. If someone files are written complaint with the Secretary of State, you could get into some trouble.

Here are the official drop sites in Deschutes County:

Bend
Deschutes Service Center
1300 NW Wall St
(Box located on Parkway side of building) Available 7 days a week
Election Day, Tuesday, Nov 4: open until 8 pm

Drive-By Drop Site
Corner of Wall St and Lafayette Ave (Parking Area)
Fri & Mon, Oct 31 & Nov 3: 8 am – 6 pm Election Day, Tuesday, Nov 4: 7 am - 8 pm

Deschutes County Road Department
61150 SE 27th St
Available 7 days a week
Election Day, Tuesday, Nov 4: open until 8 pm

County Clerk’s Office
1300 NW Wall St, Upper Floor, Bend - Privacy Booths Provided
Monday through Friday: 8 am to 5 pm
Election Day, Tuesday, November 4, 2014: 7 am to 8 pm

Redmond
Redmond Public Library
Drive-By Drop Site
(Located on west side of Library)
827 SW Deschutes Ave
Available 7 days a week, open Oct 17: 24-hour drive-by Election Day, Tuesday, Nov 4: open until 8 pm

Sisters
Sisters City Hall
520 E Cascade Ave
Oct 17 – Nov 3: 8 am - 5 pm
(Usual Business Hours & Days)
Election Day, Tuesday, Nov 4: 8 am - 8 pm

Sunriver
Sunriver Area Public Library
Drive-By Drop Site
Sunriver Business Park
56855 Venture Ln
Friday,Oct31: 8am-5pm
Monday, Nov 3: 8 am – 6 pm
Election Day, Tuesday, Nov 4: 8 am - 8 pm

La Pine Drive-By Drop Site
La Pine Public Library
16425 1st St
(1st St & Huntington Rd)
Beginning Friday, Oct 31: 24-hour drive-by Election Day, Tuesday, Nov 4: open until 8 pm

Terrebonne
Terrebonne Sheriff Substation 8154 11th St, Suite 3
Fri & Mon, Oct 31 & Nov 3:
8 am - 1 pm & 2 pm - 5 pm Election Day, Tuesday, Nov 4:
8 am - 1 pm & 2 pm - 8 pm

PRO TIP: If you drop your ballot in an official drop box, you don't need a stamp!

Got election questions? Ask someone who knows. You can reach the Deschutes County Clerk's Election Division 541-388-6546.