Register to Vote!

In 2011, 38% of immigrants living in Oregon were eligible to vote. 38% can make a difference!

If you are a United States citizen, it is important to exercise your constitutional privileges by making your voice heard on voting day. Voting in elections can directly impact the lives of you, your friends, and your family.

Don’t worry about voting taking too much time––in Oregon, it’s easy to vote! All elections are done by mail, so you don’t even have to take time away from your job or your family.

Immigrants living in Oregon are an important part of the state’s cultural make-up, and their opinions should count. An easy way to generate impact is by encouraging your friends and family to register for voting.

This November, the ballot will include a referendum to the Oregon Driver Card. This issue directly impacts immigrants and their families––it is imperative that the movement of undocumented citizens within Portland is not restricted. If undocumented persons can obtain an Oregon Driver Card, they can safely drive their kids to school, get to work, and make court or legal meetings. Driver cards are in the best interests of everyone in Portland, because they promote street-safety and encourage driver accountability by requiring a common driving curriculum for all drivers.

For more information about the Oregon Driver Card, and to stay up-to-date on its progress, click here.

Attention! Do not attempt to register to vote if you are not eligible.

You can register to vote in Oregon if you are:

• An Oregon resident

AND

• A US citizen

AND

• 18 or older

Be aware––if you are not a US citizen, you should not try to vote! Registration without a government-issued social security number could put you at risk for deportation.

If you do not register to vote or cannot register to vote, do not vote!

Before you begin registration, make sure that you have your social security number and your Oregon DMV number nearby. If you don’t have an Oregon DMV number, just supply the last four digits of your social security number and valid photo identification (a passport or driver’s license from another state).

Once you have your information and are ready to register, click here! Registering to vote in Oregon is easy and can be done online.

OR, if you are nervous about registering online, aren’t sure about whether you should vote, or have any other questions about voting and voting registration, stop by our office to pick up a paper registration form.

If you are looking to register manually, we have voter registration packets in our office. They also have them at your local post office!

Remember, even though voting doesn’t start until November 9th, it can take a long time to process registration information! Get a head start by registering to vote now, and then make a difference on voting day.

If you are not currently a US citizen, but have been living legally within the United States for 5 years (or otherwise think you might be able to become a US citizen), check out our naturalization post here.