2026 PRIMARY ELECTION INFORMATION
- September 11, 2025 - First day for candidates to file for office using SEL 101 or SEL 105
- February 27, 2026 - Last day for district to file prepared ballot title in order to complete challenge period by deadline
- March 3, 2026 - Last day for elected incumbent to file for same office
- March 10, 2026 - Last day for non-incumbent candidate to file for office
- March 19, 2026 - Last day for district to file or withdraw notice of measure
- April 3, 2026 - Military & Overseas ballots are mailed
- April 20, 2026 - Out of State ballots are mailed
- April 28, 2026 - Last day to register to vote or change party affiliation
- April 29, 2026 - Local ballots are mailed
- May 19, 2026 - ELECTION DAY. County Clerk's office is open 7 am - 8 pm. Last day for voter to return ballot. Ballots that are mailed must be postmarked on or before Election Day & received by mail within 7 days of Election Day. Ballots deposited in an official drop box must be received by 8 pm on Election Day. Unofficial election results will be released at 8 pm and once again after all ballots have been tallied Election night.
- May 22, 2026 - Updated results including postmarked ballots by mail
- May 26, 2026 - Last day to receive valid postmarked ballots by mail
- June 9, 2026 - Last day to resolve signature challenges
- June 12, 2026 - Final - Official Results posted
Manuals and forms located online at: https://sos.oregon.gov/elections:Pages/laws-rules-publications.aspx
Candidate for offices below may file at the County Clerk's office filing an SEL 101 and pay a $50 filing fee or submit SEL 121 petition signatures form. Minimum signatures required: 101 Petition must be approved in writing by the County Clerk before gathering any signatures.
SEL 338 Petition Submission - Candidate, Voters' Pamphlet Mark "Completed" Petition with certified signature sheets. Filed after signatures have been verified and certified by the County Clerk
Withdrawal of Filing - SEL 150 Withdrawal of candidacy or Nomination Deadline to withdraw is March 13, 2026
- Filling Forms required to be filed with the Secretary of State for State Voters' Pamphlet, Reference the following manuals for further instructions:
- State Voters Pamphlet Manual
- Voters' Pamphlet Filing Quick Guide
- Deadline: March 12, 2026 at 5 pm to file or withdraw from State Voter Pamphlet.
Filing Forms required to be filed with the Secretary of State for the purpose of Campaign Finance Reporting. Reference the following manuals for further instructions.
- Campaign Finance Manual
- Transaction Filing in ORESTAR Quik Guide
- Candidate "Quick Guide" on Campaign Finance Reporting
- ORESTAR User's Manual: Transaction Filing
-
ORESTAR User's Manual: Statement of Organization
"County Commissioner" (Positions 1 & 2) - 4 year term
"County Sheriff" - 4 year term
"County Assessor" - 4 year term
"County Treasure" - 4 year term
"County Clerk - 4 year term
Candidate(s) will be printed on the Primary Election Ballot.
-
Candidates for County Commissioner & County Assessor that receives a majority of votes cast for the office will be elected at the Primary Election. If no candidate receives a majority of votes cast for the office, the two candidates who receives the highest number of votes are nominated and their names will be printed on the General Election ballot. Candidates for County Sheriff, County Treasurer, and County Clerk will be named on the Primary Election ballot if at least 3 candidates filed for the office. If only one or two candidates file, they will be considered nominated and their names will appear on the General Election ballot.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Which candidates will be on my ballot? Partisan: Oregon Secretary of State Elections Division Office: https://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Documents/open-offices.pdf Nonpartisan Offices: Jefferson County Commissioner, Position#1 & 2 - 4 year term. Jefferson County Treasurer, 4 year term. Jefferson County Sheriff, 4 year term - (subject to qualifications in ORS 206.015(3)(4)). Jefferson County Clerk, 4 year term. Jefferson County Assessor, 4 year term - (subject to qualifications ORS 204.016).
2. When will ballots be mailed in Jefferson County?
Ballots will be mailed Wednesday, April 29, 2026. Voters who do not receive a ballot through the mail by Friday, May 8th, should call the Jefferson County Clerk’s office at 541-475-4451.
3. Why will some voters receive two ballots?
If a voter changed their address close to the registration deadline they may receive two ballots. Only one ballot is ever active.
Ballots may not be forwarded by the USPS and the first ballot should be returned to the Clerk’s office as undeliverable. (ballot packets were assembled for mailing the last week of March). Only the Ballot issued to that individual that reflects their most recent voter registration information will be active.
4. When will write-in votes be tallied and reported?
Write-in votes will not be tallied on Election Day. The “abstracting” process for determining all the various write-in names will begin after Election Day and continue until completed. It is anticipated the write-in results will be released at the same time the election results are released and the election is certified.
When there is a candidate on the ballot for a contest, write-in votes are only abstracted for that contest if the total number of write-in votes equal or exceed the votes for the candidate.
Per OAR 165-007-0030, the Vote by Mail Manual, misspelling or abbreviations of write-in names are disregarded by the Election Board if the board cannot determine who the vote is intended for. For example – a first initial is not sufficient to determine who the vote is intended for, but a common abbreviated version of the first name is allowed (Bob for Robert).
5. How many registered voters are there in Jefferson County?
As of Sept 15, 2025 there are 17,571 registered voters in Jefferson County. The registration numbers by party are:
a. Democrat – 3104
b. Republican – 5889
c. Independent - 912
d. Nonaffiliated – 7278
e. Other minor parties – 388
Monthly Voter Registration Reports are published at: Jeffco.net/cc and under the Statistics Tab.
- Jefferson County 24 Hour Drop Sites are located at:
- Metolius City Hall
- Culver City Hall
- Madras – Jefferson County Clerk’s Office
- Crooked River Ranch – near the tennis courts
- Warm Springs – Wasco Street
- Camp Sherman – Black Butte School
- Public Certification of the County’s ballot tally machine will be Wednesday June 10, 2026 at ________am/pm in the Jefferson County Annex conference room. The public is welcome.
Remember to sign your return envelope. A ballot will not be counted unless the return envelope is signed and the signature matches the signature of the voter registration record.
HB 3291 – Postmark Bill – postmarks do count; the ballot must have the postal indicator showing that the ballot was mailed not later than the date of the election (the clerk’s office has a
postal barcode reader to verify the date and time of the ballot received after election day).
If a postal indicator is not present or legible, the ballot shall be considered mailed on the date of the election and may be counted if the ballot is received no later than seven calendar days after the election,
SB 27- Housekeeping Bill: ORS 254.470 Procedures for conducting election (section 14), is not required to mail a secrecy envelope/sleeve if the Secretary of State has approved a different procedure.
Virtual viewing of the Election Board processing ballots, so to: https://www.jeffco.net Specific time to be announced on the Clerk's webpage.