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House approves study bill directing Secretary of State to examine postal changes affecting vote-by-mail
Summary
Lawmakers approved a bill directing the Secretary of State to study how United States Postal Service operational changes could affect Oregon's vote-by-mail system and to report recommendations for legislative action.
The House passed a bill directing the Oregon Secretary of State to study changes at the United States Postal Service (USPS) that could affect Oregon’s vote-by-mail elections and to report recommendations for legislative action by next September.
Representative Drazen, carrying House Bill 34 74 on the floor, cited examples from the most recent election cycle where delayed or misrouted mail created ballot delivery problems in multiple counties. He told members that changes such as the USPS’s “Delivering for America” plan (which consolidated processing and moved many flows through Portland) and the Regional Transportation Optimization Initiative (reducing pickups to once daily in offices more than 50 miles from a processing center) have already affected delivery times in Oregon.
Drazen said the bill “gives us the tools to prepare” for postal changes and asked colleagues to support a study to identify problems before they turn into a crisis. Other members, including Representatives Marsh and Harvick, voiced support; Harvick said she supported the bill but also expressed a preference for more in-person voting options. The House passed the measure on final reading.
The bill does not create a new program or appropriate funds; it instructs the Secretary of State’s office to examine USPS operational changes and deliver a report with legislative recommendations for how to protect Oregon’s vote-by-mail system.
