BEND, OR -- Ballots are starting to trickle in to Deschutes County’s Elections Office. As of Tuesday evening, turnout is at just 3%. County Clerk Steve Dennison says there are two new drop box sites for voters open until 8 pm on Election Day, “A walk-up ballot drop box, right here on our campus, just across from the regular drive-up one that we have in our parking lot. It’s a little more accessible for walk-up or bike-up. And then, we also added one up at the Redmond Fairgrounds.”

Postmarks do count but, "If you’re mailing it closer to election day, make sure you bring it to the counter at the post office and get it hand postmarked. And, as long as we receive those ballots in the mail up until seven days after election day, we can still count that ballot. And, don’t forget to sign your ballot,” reminds Dennison.

The new postmark rule will change the certification timeline, “It does draw things out a little bit longer. Voters have another week; if they have signature challenges or signature issues, they have another week to resolve those. And, we’re also certifying the election a week later than we typically have in the past."

If you prefer to drop it off, you’ll find the closest official site on the Oregon Secretary of State’s Ballot dropbox locator webpage.