Union County voters face April 28 registration deadline for May primary

Union County residents who miss April 28 will lose their chance to vote in Oregon’s May primary, a ballot that will help decide the governor’s race, a U.S. Senate seat, the labor commissioner and legislative control in Salem.

The deadline matters because Oregon’s ballots begin mailing to active voters on April 29, one day after registration closes. Anyone who still needs to register, update an address or change party affiliation needs to act before the cutoff if they want a ballot in the May 19 election.

Oregon allows residents who are at least 16 to register, but a ballot is not issued until an election falls on or after the voter’s 18th birthday. To register online, voters generally need an Oregon driver license, permit or ID number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number plus a signature. Those who do not have that information can still print, sign and mail or deliver a paper registration card to the county elections office.

In Union County, the clerk and recorder’s office is at 1001 4th Street, Suite D, in La Grande, and can be reached at 541-963-1006. Public hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with lunch closure from noon to 1 p.m. That makes the courthouse the fastest local stop for anyone who needs help sorting out paperwork before the deadline.

The urgency is not abstract. Oregon voters will choose a governor, labor commissioner, U.S. senator, 60 House members and 15 Senate members in 2026, and ballot measures may also be in play. For Union County voters, that means the April 28 deadline is the last chance to make sure a ballot arrives for decisions that can affect schools, taxes, public services and how Salem and Washington are represented.

Already registered voters should still check their address and party status before the cutoff. Party changes made after April 28 will not count for the May primary, which can matter in races where a voter’s ballot choice depends on party rules.

Union County also lists official drop sites for completed ballots in Cove, Elgin, Imbler, Island City, La Grande, North Powder and Union, along with the county clerk’s office. Ballots must be in a drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day, and unofficial results are expected after 8 p.m. on May 19, with the final report posted on or after the 22nd day after the election.