Benton County officials said on April 1 that they are monitoring the recent executive order signed by President Trump banning most mail-in voting, but confirmed that the upcoming May 19 primary election will proceed as planned under current Oregon law.
The issue is important because Oregon has used a vote-by-mail system for decades and state leaders say it ensures fair and secure elections. The new federal executive order, signed March 31, allows mail-in ballots only for individuals on specific absentee or mail-in participation lists such as travelers, those who are seriously ill, and deployed military personnel and their families. It also directs the U.S. Postal Service to deliver ballots only to eligible voters.
A similar executive order from March 2025 was blocked by federal judges who ruled that setting voting policy is a power given to states under the U.S. Constitution. In response to the latest order, Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read said: “The Constitution is clear: states run elections. Oregon’s gold standard vote-by-mail elections are secure, fair, and accurate. We don’t need decrees from Washington D.C. My message to the President: We’ll see you in court.”
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield also issued a statement saying: “Vote by mail increases access to the ballot which is the cornerstone to our democracy, and we’ll use every legal tool available to us to fight this and protect Oregonians’ right to vote.”
Oregon adopted statewide vote-by-mail after voters approved it in 1998; it became the first all vote-by-mail state in 2000. Benton County leaders remain in contact with state officials as legal challenges move forward.
According to county officials, ballots for Benton County voters will be mailed out on April 29 ahead of the May primary election. Voters can return their completed ballots either by mail or at drop boxes throughout Benton County. Residents are encouraged to verify their voter registration information at OregonVotes.gov before April 28.
Secretary of State Read will answer questions about elections during a town hall scheduled for Wednesday, May 6 at the Benton Center in Corvallis alongside Sen. Sara Gelser Blouin and Rep. Sarah Finger McDonald.
