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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
House Bill 3468
Sponsored by Representative DRAZAN; Representatives ELMER, SCHARF, SKARLATOS
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: The Act keeps county clerks from updating voter data by using data that ODOT and
OHA send. The Act lets voters use voter registration cards to make updates to their data. The Act
becomes law 91 days after the legislature is done. (Flesch Readability Score: 63.7).
Prohibits a county clerk from using certain information provided by the Department of Trans-
portation or the Oregon Health Authority to update any registration information for an elector who
is already registered to vote. Provides that an elector may update the elector’s registration infor-
mation by submitting a registration card.
Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to updating voter registration information; amending ORS 247.012, 247.013, 247.017 and
247.018; and prescribing an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
ORS 247.017 is amended to read:
247.017. (1) The Secretary of State shall by rule establish a schedule by which the Department
of Transportation shall provide to the secretary electronic records containing the legal name, age,
residence and citizenship information for, and the electronic signature of, each person who meets
qualifications identified by the secretary by rule.
(2) Upon receiving the electronic record for, and electronic signature of, a person described in
subsection (1) of this section, the Secretary of State shall provide the information to the county
clerk of the county in which the person may be registered as an elector. The secretary or county
clerk shall notify each person of the process to:
(a) Decline being registered as an elector.
(b) Adopt a political party affiliation.
(3)(a) If a person notified under subsection (2) of this section does not decline to be registered
as an elector within 21 calendar days after the Secretary of State or county clerk issues the notifi-
cation, the person’s electronic record and electronic signature submitted under subsection (1) of this
section will constitute a completed registration card for the person for purposes of this chapter. The
person shall be registered to vote if the county clerk determines that the person is qualified to vote
under Article II, section 2, of the Oregon Constitution, and the person is not already registered to
vote.
(b) A county clerk may not use the information provided by the Secretary of State under
subsection (2) of this section to change or update any registration information for an elector
who is already registered to vote.
(4) A county clerk may not send a ballot to, or add to an elector registration list, a person who
meets eligibility requirements until at least 21 calendar days after the Secretary of State or county
NOTE: Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [ italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 1038
HB 3468
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clerk provided notification to the person as described in subsection (2) of this section.
(5) In addition to providing electronic records to the Secretary of State under subsection (1) of
this section, the Department of Transportation may by rule develop, and require the availability or
use of, any form or application the department determines is necessary to ensure compliance with
the voter registration provisions of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (P.L. 103-31).
(6) The Secretary of State shall adopt rules required to implement subsections (1) to (4) of this
section.
SECTION 2.
ORS 247.018 is amended to read:
247.018. (1)(a) Subject to compliance with all applicable federal laws and regulations, the Sec-
retary of State shall by rule establish a schedule by which the Oregon Health Authority shall pro-
vide to the secretary electronic records, derived from information provided to the Oregon Health
Plan, containing the legal name, age, residence and citizenship information for, and, if any, the
electronic signature of, each person who is eligible to be a qualified elector under Article II, section
2, of the Oregon Constitution.
(b) The secretary shall establish by rule, after consultation with the authority, what electronic
records establish whether a person is eligible to be a qualified elector for purposes of this sub-
section.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsection, the authority may not provide to the sec-
retary any electronic records for a person who is not a citizen of the United States.
(2) When establishing a schedule under subsection (1) of this section, the secretary may adopt
rules governing the format and frequency of data transfer. Any rules adopted under this subsection:
(a) Are subject to input and public comment, including comment from the authority; and
(b) May come into effect only after the secretary and authority test and verify the data transfer
processes.
(3) The secretary:
(a) Shall by rule develop a process to obtain an electronic signature from the Department of
Transportation for each person described in subsection (1) of this section for whom the authority
does not provide an electronic signature under this section; and
(b) May use an electronic signature that is obtained under paragraph (a) of this subsection or
that is otherwise in the secretary’s possession, for the purpose of registering electors to vote under
this section.
(4) Upon receiving the electronic record for a person described in subsection (1) of this section,
the secretary shall provide the information to the county clerk of the county in which the person
may be registered as an elector. The secretary or county clerk shall notify each person of the pro-
cess to:
(a) Decline being registered as an elector;
(b) Adopt a political party affiliation; and
(c) Provide a signature if no signature was provided under subsection (1) of this section and the
secretary does not have a copy of the signature and is unable to obtain an electronic copy of the
signature from the Department of Transportation under subsection (3) of this section.
(5)(a) Notwithstanding the absence of any signature, if a person notified under subsection (4)
of this section does not decline to be registered as an elector within 21 calendar days after the
secretary or county clerk issues the notification, the person’s electronic record submitted to the
county clerk under subsection (4) of this section will constitute a completed registration card for the
person for purposes of this chapter. The person shall be registered to vote if the county clerk de-
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termines that the person is qualified to vote under Article II, section 2, of the Oregon Constitution,
and the person is not already registered to vote.
(b) A county clerk may not use the information provided by the secretary under sub-
section (4) of this section to change or update any registration information for an elector
who is already registered to vote.
(6) A county clerk may not send a ballot to, or add to an elector registration list, a person who
is determined under subsection (5) of this section to be qualified to vote, and who is not already
registered to vote, until at least 21 calendar days after the secretary or county clerk provided no-
tification to the person as described in subsection (4) of this section.
(7) The transfer of personal information and data by the authority or department to the secre-
tary under this section is limited to the information and data that is necessary to register electors.
Information and data transferred to the secretary under this section may be used only for the pur-
pose of registering electors.
(8) The secretary shall adopt rules required to implement this section, including rules to ensure
that no ballot is counted for a person registered to vote under this section whose registration record
does not contain an electronic signature.
(9) As used in this section, “electronic signature” means an electronic form of a handwritten
signature that can be verified, in the manner described in ORS 254.470 (11), for the purpose of tal-
lying ballots.
SECTION 3.
ORS 247.012 is amended to read:
247.012. (1) A qualified person may register to vote [ or update a registration to vote ] by:
(a) Delivering by mail, having a person deliver or otherwise delivering a completed registration
card to any county clerk, the Secretary of State, any office of the Department of Transportation or
any designated voter registration agency as described in ORS 247.208;
(b) Personally delivering, or having a person deliver, the card to an official designated by a
county clerk under subsection [ (7)] (8) of this section;
(c) Submitting the person’s legal name, age, residence and citizenship information and electronic
signature to the Department of Transportation; or
(d) Completing a registration card using the electronic voter registration system described in
ORS 247.019.
(2) An elector may update the elector’s registration to vote by:
(a) Delivering by mail, having a person deliver or otherwise delivering a completed reg-
istration card to any county clerk, the Secretary of State or any designated voter registra-
tion agency as described in ORS 247.208;
(b) Personally delivering, or having a person deliver, the card to an official designated
by a county clerk under subsection (8) of this section; or
(c) Completing a registration card using the electronic voter registration system de-
scribed in ORS 247.019.
(3) If a registration card is mailed or delivered to:
(a) Any person other than a county clerk or the Secretary of State, the person shall forward the
card to a county clerk or the Secretary of State not later than the fifth day after receiving the card;
or
(b) The Secretary of State or a county clerk for a county other than the county in which the
person applying for registration resides, the Secretary of State or county clerk shall forward the
card to the county clerk for the county in which the person resides not later than the fifth day after
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receiving the card.
[(3)] (4) Registration of a qualified person occurs:
(a) When a legible, accurate and complete registration card is received in the office of any
county clerk, the Office of the Secretary of State, an office of the Department of Transportation, a
designated voter registration agency under ORS 247.208 or at a location designated by a county
clerk under subsection [ (7)] (8) of this section;
(b) On the date a registration card is postmarked if the card is received after the 21st day im-
mediately preceding an election but is postmarked not later than the 21st day immediately preceding
the election and is addressed to an office of any county clerk, the Office of the Secretary of State,
an office of the Department of Transportation or any designated voter registration agency as de-
scribed in ORS 247.208; or
(c) In the case of a registration card missing a date of birth, containing an incomplete date of
birth or containing an unintentional scrivener’s error that is supplied or corrected as described in
subsection [ (4) or (6) ] (5) or (7) of this section, on the date that registration would have occurred
if the registration card had not been missing the date of birth, contained an incomplete date of birth
or contained the scrivener’s error.
[(4)(a)] (5)(a) Except as provided in ORS 247.125, if a registration card is legible, accurate and
contains, at a minimum, the registrant’s name, residence address, date of birth and signature, the
county clerk shall register the person.
(b) If the information required under paragraph (a) of this subsection is missing from the regis-
tration card or the date of birth is incomplete, the county clerk shall attempt to obtain the missing
or incomplete information from all sources available to the county clerk, including but not limited
to current and previous addresses and phone numbers of the registrant. The county clerk may also
supply the registrant’s date of birth from any previous registration of the registrant. If the missing
or incomplete information cannot be obtained from sources available to the county clerk, the county
clerk shall use reasonable efforts to contact the registrant by phone, mail and electronic mail to
obtain the missing or incomplete information.
[(5)] (6) If a registration card meets the requirements of subsection [ (4)] (5) of this section but
is missing an indication of political party affiliation, the registrant shall be considered not affiliated
with any political party. This subsection does not apply if an elector is updating a registration.
[(6)] (7) If a registration card contains an unintentional scrivener’s error, the county clerk may
attempt to contact the person to correct the error.
[(7)] (8) A county clerk may appoint officials to accept registration of persons at designated lo-
cations. The appointments and locations shall be in writing and filed in the office of the county
clerk. The county clerk shall be responsible for the performance of duties by those appointed.
[(8)] (9) A registration card received and accepted under this section shall be considered an
active registration.
[(9)] (10) A registration may be updated at any time.
SECTION 4.
ORS 247.012, as amended by section 4, chapter 492, Oregon Laws 2023, is amended
to read:
247.012. (1) A qualified person may register to vote [ or update a registration to vote ] by:
(a) Delivering by mail, having a person deliver or otherwise delivering a completed registration
card to any county clerk, the Secretary of State, any office of the Department of Transportation or
any designated voter registration agency as described in ORS 247.208;
(b) Personally delivering, or having a person deliver, the card to an official designated by a
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county clerk under subsection [ (7)] (8) of this section;
(c) Submitting the person’s legal name, age, residence and citizenship information and electronic
signature to the Department of Transportation;
(d) Submitting the person’s legal name, age, residence and citizenship information to the Oregon
Health Authority for use in the Oregon Health Plan; or
(e) Completing a registration card using the electronic voter registration system described in
ORS 247.019.
(2) An elector may update the elector’s registration to vote by:
(a) Delivering by mail, having a person deliver or otherwise delivering a completed reg-
istration card to any county clerk, the Secretary of State or any designated voter registra-
tion agency as described in ORS 247.208;
(b) Personally delivering, or having a person deliver, the card to an official designated
by a county clerk under subsection (8) of this section; or
(c) Completing a registration card using the electronic voter registration system de-
scribed in ORS 247.019.
(3) If a registration card is mailed or delivered to:
(a) Any person other than a county clerk or the Secretary of State, the person shall forward the
card to a county clerk or the Secretary of State not later than the fifth day after receiving the card;
or
(b) The Secretary of State or a county clerk for a county other than the county in which the
person applying for registration resides, the Secretary of State or county clerk shall forward the
card to the county clerk for the county in which the person resides not later than the fifth day after
receiving the card.
[(3)] (4) Registration of a qualified person occurs:
(a) When a legible, accurate and complete registration card is received in the office of any
county clerk, the Office of the Secretary of State, an office of the Department of Transportation, a
designated voter registration agency under ORS 247.208 or at a location designated by a county
clerk under subsection [ (7)] (8) of this section;
(b) On the date a registration card is postmarked if the card is received after the 21st day im-
mediately preceding an election but is postmarked not later than the 21st day immediately preceding
the election and is addressed to an office of any county clerk, the Office of the Secretary of State,
an office of the Department of Transportation or any designated voter registration agency as de-
scribed in ORS 247.208; or
(c) In the case of a registration card missing a date of birth, containing an incomplete date of
birth or containing an unintentional scrivener’s error that is supplied or corrected as described in
subsection [ (4) or (6) ] (5) or (7) of this section, on the date that registration would have occurred
if the registration card had not been missing the date of birth, contained an incomplete date of birth
or contained the scrivener’s error.
[(4)(a)(A)] (5)(a)(A) Except as provided in ORS 247.125, if a registration card is legible, accurate
and contains, at a minimum, the registrant’s name, residence address, date of birth and signature,
the county clerk shall register the person.
(B) The county clerk shall register a person pursuant to ORS 247.018, regardless of whether the
person’s registration card contains a signature, if the person’s registration card is legible, accurate
and contains, at a minimum, the registrant’s name, residence address and date of birth.
(b) If the information required under paragraph (a)(A) of this subsection is missing from the
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registration card or the date of birth is incomplete, or if the signature of a person described in
paragraph (a)(B) of this subsection has not been submitted, the county clerk shall attempt to obtain
the missing or incomplete information from all sources available to the county clerk, including but
not limited to current and previous addresses and phone numbers of the registrant. The county clerk
may also supply the registrant’s date of birth from any previous registration of the registrant. If the
missing or incomplete information cannot be obtained from sources available to the county clerk,
the county clerk shall use reasonable efforts to contact the registrant by phone, mail and electronic
mail to obtain the missing or incomplete information.
[(5)] (6) If a registration card meets the requirements of subsection [ (4)] (5) of this section but
is missing an indication of political party affiliation, the registrant shall be considered not affiliated
with any political party. This subsection does not apply if an elector is updating a registration.
[(6)] (7) If a registration card contains an unintentional scrivener’s error, the county clerk may
attempt to contact the person to correct the error.
[(7)] (8) A county clerk may appoint officials to accept registration of persons at designated lo-
cations. The appointments and locations shall be in writing and filed in the office of the county
clerk. The county clerk shall be responsible for the performance of duties by those appointed.
[(8)] (9) A registration card received and accepted under this section shall be considered an
active registration.
[(9)] (10) A registration may be updated at any time.
SECTION 5.
ORS 247.013 is amended to read:
247.013. (1) A qualified person shall be considered registered to vote in a county when the
person’s first registration in the county occurs as described in ORS 247.012.
(2) An elector who changes residence address from the county in which the elector is registered
to a different county within the state, in order to vote in an election, must be an elector registered
in the county in which the new residence address of the elector is located.
[(3) If there is a change in any information required for registration under this chapter, and the
elector has not changed residence address to another county, the registration of the elector may be up-
dated as provided in this chapter. ]
[(4)] (3) Notwithstanding [ subsections (2) and (3) ] subsection (2) of this section, if an elector
changes residence address from the county in which the elector is registered to a different county
within the state, the elector need not register again if the registration of the elector is updated.
[(5)] (4) If the county clerk does not have evidence of a change in any information required for
registration under this chapter for an elector, the registration of the elector shall be considered
active.
[(6)] (5) The registration of an elector shall be considered inactive if:
(a) The county clerk has received evidence that there has been a change in the information re-
quired for registration under this chapter; and
(b) The county clerk has mailed the notice described in ORS 247.563.
[(7)] (6) The inactive registration of an elector must be updated before the elector may vote in
an election.
SECTION 6.
This 2025 Act takes effect on the 91st day after the date on which the 2025
regular session of the Eighty-third Legislative Assembly adjourns sine die.
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