Over the past year, I’ve taken on the surprisingly difficult task of trying to keep track of my friends’ physical addresses. Like, writing them on paper with a pen. And it’s no wonder address books have been replaced by Facebook: in the past twelve months, 60 percent of my friends have moved. These are 22-35 year olds we’re talking about and their constant apartment-swapping means not only do I have to cross them out of my book and track down their new address, but they have to register to vote all over again.

But it’s pretty likely they will just forget to register at their new address. Or think they’re still registered and find out too late that they’re not allowed to vote in this November’s election.

That’s why I want to direct all eyes right now to the Secretary of State website where you can check to see whether you’re registered to vote! If you’ve moved or changed parties since the last time you voted (when the hell was that?), you can register there, too.

If you want to register the old fashioned print-and-paper way, our news section this week details how to download a registration form. The registration deadline for next month’s election is October 12.

Okay, this concludes your voting public service announcement. Back to regularly scheduled cats, etc.

Sarah Shay Mirk reported on transportation, sex and gender issues, and politics at the Mercury from 2008-2013. They have gone on to make many things, including countless comics and several books.

5 replies on “How to Check to See if You’re Registered to Vote”

  1. As a registered Multnomah County voter with an overseas mailing address, I receive a virtual ballot via e-mail, which I print out and send back to the elections office. My mailing address changes often, but my e-mail address stays the same, so this system works very well for me.

    I’m not sure why Multnomah County (and others) don’t open up e-balloting as an opt-in service to all registered voters?

    It wouldn’t cost much to set up the system (since it’s already in place for overseas voters), it would be convenient for young people who change apartments often but don’t update their voter registrations, it might increase voter turnout and it would save taxpayer money otherwise spent on printing and postage for paper ballots.

  2. I clicked this to check my registration and it said my registration in Oregon had been canceled. Definitely glad I found that out. I don’t even know how it happened.

    But now I’m annoyed that I have to mail in my registration card from Massachusetts when I (thought) I was already registered to vote.

  3. You can also find someone’s home address and party affiliation using that page if you happen to know their zip code and birthdate, both of which are pretty common knowledge. 100 stalker points to Orestar!

  5. Why the fuck are all the 20-somethings so goddamned apathetic about their civic responsabilities? When you move you fill out a change of address form with the post office and you update your voter registration. It’s not goddamned rocket science. Oregon makes this shit too easy. We need poll taxes or some shit to whip the electorate back into shape. Why am I so angry about this? I DON’T FUCKING KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!

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