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thumb|right|Vote-by-mail ballot from a 2006 special election
The U.S. state of Oregon established vote-by-mail as the standard mechanism for voting with 1998 Oregon Ballot Measure 60, a citizen's initiative. The measure made Oregon the first state in the United States to conduct its elections exclusively by mail. The measure passed on November 3, 1998, by a margin of 69.4% to 30.6%. Political scientists say Oregon's vote by mail system contributes to its highest-in-the-nation rate of voter turnout, at 61.5% of eligible voters.
History of postal voting in Oregon
Vote-by-mail had already been implemented to a lesser degree in Oregon:
- 1981 The Oregon Legislative Assembly approves vote-by-mail for local elections, at the discretion of the county; at least one polling place in the county had to remain open on election day. The move came after efforts by Del Riley, Linn County Clerk.
- 1987 Vote-by-mail becomes permanent, with the majority of Oregon's counties making use of it.
- 1989 A House bill to extend vote-by-mail to include the 1990 primary elections was defeated in a 33–27, non-party-line vote.
- 1995 Oregon becomes the first state to conduct a federal primary election totally by mail.
- 1996 U.S Senator Ron Wyden is elected by mail with a 66% turnout, succeeding Bob Packwood.
- 1998 Oregon Ballot Measure 60 is passed with 69.4% support, mandating vote-by-mail for primary and general elections.
- 2000 Oregon becomes the first state in the nation to conduct a presidential election entirely by mail. About 80% of registered voters participated.
- 2019 Oregon becomes the first state not to require paid postage on ballot return envelopes.
Measure 60 eliminated restrictions on vote-by-mail and established it as the single form of voting for elections in Oregon. It also required vote-by-mail to be used for biennial primaries and general elections as well as eliminating polling places.
Ballot Measure 60 results by county:
{|width="60%" class="wikitable sortable"
! width="11%" | County
! width="10%" | Yes
! width="10%" | Votes
! width="10%" | No
! width="10%" | Votes
! width="10%" | Total
|-
|align="center"|Baker
|align="center"|66.12
|align="center"|4,097
|align="center"|33.88
|align="center"|2,099
|align="center"|6,196
|-
|align="center"|Benton
|align="center"|64.35
|align="center"|18,271
|align="center"|35.65
|align="center"|10,123
|align="center"|28,394
|-
|align="center"|Clackamas
|align="center"|71.40
|align="center"|80,103
|align="center"|28.60
|align="center"|32,080
|align="center"|112,183
|-
|align="center"|Clatsop
|align="center"|69.87
|align="center"|8,855
|align="center"|30.13
|align="center"|3,819
|align="center"|12,674
|-
|align="center"|Columbia
|align="center"|70.39
|align="center"|11,653
|align="center"|29.61
|align="center"|4,902
|align="center"|16,555
|-
|align="center"|Coos
|align="center"|62.92
|align="center"|14,930
|align="center"|37.08
|align="center"|8,800
|align="center"|23,730
|-
|align="center"|Crook
|align="center"|71.09
|align="center"|3,860
|align="center"|28.91
|align="center"|1,570
|align="center"|5,430
|-
|align="center"|Curry
|align="center"|65.55
|align="center"|5,843
|align="center"|34.45
|align="center"|3,071
|align="center"|8,914
|-
|align="center"|Deschutes
|align="center"|76.27
|align="center"|29,554
|align="center"|23.73
|align="center"|9,196
|align="center"|38,750
|-
|align="center"|Douglas
|align="center"|64.04
|align="center"|22,921
|align="center"|35.96
|align="center"|12,870
|align="center"|35,791
|-
|align="center"|Gilliam
|align="center"|71.01
|align="center"|556
|align="center"|28.99
|align="center"|227
|align="center"|783
|-
|align="center"|Grant
|align="center"|61.17
|align="center"|1,840
|align="center"|38.83
|align="center"|1,168
|align="center"|3,008
|-
|align="center"|Harney
|align="center"|60.36
|align="center"|1,626
|align="center"|39.64
|align="center"|1,068
|align="center"|2,694
|-
|align="center"|Hood River
|align="center"|64.89
|align="center"|3,742
|align="center"|35.11
|align="center"|2,024
|align="center"|5,766
|-
|align="center"|Jackson
|align="center"|70.65
|align="center"|40,620
|align="center"|29.35
|align="center"|16,875
|align="center"|57,495
|-
|align="center"|Jefferson
|align="center"|70.14
|align="center"|3,504
|align="center"|29.86
|align="center"|1,492
|align="center"|4,996
|-
|align="center"|Josephine
|align="center"|67.86
|align="center"|18,169
|align="center"|32.14
|align="center"|8,605
|align="center"|26,774
|-
|align="center"|Klamath
|align="center"|62.90
|align="center"|11,560
|align="center"|37.10
|align="center"|6,817
|align="center"|18,377
|-
|align="center"|Lake
|align="center"|70.71
|align="center"|2,165
|align="center"|29.29
|align="center"|897
|align="center"|3,062
|-
|align="center"|Lane
|align="center"|64.88
|align="center"|71,539
|align="center"|35.12
|align="center"|38,727
|align="center"|110,266
|-
|align="center"|Lincoln
|align="center"|75.32
|align="center"|13,009
|align="center"|24.68
|align="center"|4,262
|align="center"|17,271
|-
|align="center"|Linn
|align="center"|60.43
|align="center"|19,785
|align="center"|39.57
|align="center"|12,958
|align="center"|32,743
|-
|align="center"|Malheur
|align="center"|60.98
|align="center"|4,473
|align="center"|39.02
|align="center"|2,862
|align="center"|7,335
|-
|align="center"|Marion
|align="center"|71.26
|align="center"|61,373
|align="center"|28.74
|align="center"|24,748
|align="center"|86,121
|-
|align="center"|Morrow
|align="center"|63.92
|align="center"|1,644
|align="center"|36.08
|align="center"|928
|align="center"|2,572
|-
|align="center"|Multnomah
|align="center"|71.86
|align="center"|146,899
|align="center"|28.14
|align="center"|57,534
|align="center"|204,433
|-
|align="center"|Polk
|align="center"|63.16
|align="center"|13,135
|align="center"|36.84
|align="center"|7,663
|align="center"|20,798
|-
|align="center"|Sherman
|align="center"|63.16
|align="center"|535
|align="center"|36.84
|align="center"|312
|align="center"|847
|-
|align="center"|Tillamook
|align="center"|72.76
|align="center"|7,248
|align="center"|27.24
|align="center"|2,714
|align="center"|9,962
|-
|align="center"|Umatilla
|align="center"|66.27
|align="center"|9,456
|align="center"|33.73
|align="center"|4,812
|align="center"|14,268
|-
|align="center"|Union
|align="center"|69.78
|align="center"|6,054
|align="center"|30.22
|align="center"|2,622
|align="center"|8,676
|-
|align="center"|Wallowa
|align="center"|62.92
|align="center"|1,980
|align="center"|37.08
|align="center"|1,167
|align="center"|3,147
|-
|align="center"|Wasco
|align="center"|74.60
|align="center"|6,215
|align="center"|25.40
|align="center"|2,116
|align="center"|8,331
|-
|align="center"|Washington
|align="center"|72.58
|align="center"|91,368
|align="center"|27.42
|align="center"|34,523
|align="center"|125,891
|-
|align="center"|Wheeler
|align="center"|67.94
|align="center"|464
|align="center"|32.06
|align="center"|219
|align="center"|683
|-
|align="center"|Yamhill
|align="center"|69.02
|align="center"|18,158
|align="center"|30.98
|align="center"|8,151
|align="center"|26,309
|}
thumb|right|In addition to being returned by mail, ballots may be deposited in special ballot return boxes. Using these boxes does not require postage, and allows citizens to vote until 8:00 pm on election day.
Supporters
Organizations which supported the initiative included the League of Women Voters of Oregon, the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, AARP of Oregon, and Oregon Education Association. Individuals which supported the measure included then-Governor John Kitzhaber, Oregon Secretary of State Phil Keisling, and former U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield. Supporters of the measure asserted that it would increase voter participation and make elections more convenient for voters. The State of Oregon would also save an estimated $3 million a year, in years which a primary and general election occur.
Opponents
Notable opposition to the measure included State Representative Lynn Snodgrass and anti-tax activist Bill Sizemore. Opponents claimed the system would invite election fraud as well as the possibility of people pressuring each other in terms of how they vote.
See also
- Elections in Oregon
- List of Oregon ballot measures