Oregon Approves $1.25 Million Election Fund as Federal Fight Over Mail Voting Escalates

Following challenges from the federal government ahead of November’s midterm elections, Oregon has taken several measures to protect voters in the state- including emergency funding for vote-by-mail.

Oregon Approves Emergency Vote-by-Mail Funding

The Oregon Legislature’s Joint Emergency Board has allocated $1.25 million to the Secretary of State’s Office to expand secure ballot drop-box access, improve ballot tracking and update voter records.

The largest portion, $618,000, will fund additional drop-box locations and related costs, with final locations to be announced after counties complete site preparation and procurement.

Another $154,000 will expand access to BallotTrax, an opt-in service that allows voters to track their ballot from mailing through receipt and signature acceptance. The service is currently available in five Oregon counties.

The remaining $480,000 will help counties send updated voter notification cards to inactive voters as part of ongoing voter-roll maintenance.

The Secretary of State’s Office said the work will have negligible impact on the upcoming election because inactive voters do not receive ballots unless their registration is reactivated.

Federal Pressure Adds to Election Concerns

The funding comes as Oregon continues to face federal pressure over its vote-by-mail system.

A recent USPS whistleblower raised concerns about ballot rejections for late postmarks, while the Trump administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in disputes over federal control of mail-voting procedures.

Against that backdrop, Oregon is investing in both ballot access and greater visibility into the voting process before November’s election.

Read also: Oregon Challenges Trump Mail-Voting Rule as Ballot Deadlines Approach