Was Your Ballot Signature Challenged? How to Fix It in Oregon

If you voted by mail in Oregon and the county couldn't match the signature on your return envelope, your ballot is set aside until the signature is fixed. It isn't thrown away. You have time, and the fix is simple.

How you'll know

The Deschutes County Clerk's office mails you a notice with a form to sign and send back. If you get one, don't set it aside.

The deadline: Tuesday, November 24, 2026

For the November 3 election, you have 21 days after Election Day to fix your signature. That's Tuesday, November 24, 2026.

How to fix it

  • Follow the instructions on the notice and return the signed form.
  • Or sign in person at the Clerk's office, 1300 NW Wall St, Bend, before 5 p.m. on November 24.
  • Questions? Call Deschutes County Elections at (541) 388-6547.

Why it matters

If the signature isn't fixed in time, the ballot isn't counted and your voter registration can be made inactive. Then you'd need to update your registration before you can vote again.

What I'll do as your Clerk

Nobody should lose their vote over a signature without hearing from the county first. If I'm elected, no voter goes inactive over a signature until we've tried a phone call, a text and an email. And every challenged signature gets a second look from a different staff member.

If your signature was challenged and you had trouble getting it fixed, I want to hear from you: tell me what happened. For every date and step for November 3, see how to vote in Deschutes County (en español).

— Jonathan Curtis

Learn more: jonathancurtis2026.netlify.app

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