Oregon Ballot Returns Climb To Nearly 1.67 Million As Republicans Widen Participation Edge Going in to Deadline
Oregon — Oregon counties had recorded 1,668,842 returned ballots by 3:04 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, putting statewide ballot returns at 53.53% of active voters with nearly five hours left before the 8 p.m. drop-box deadline. The afternoon total was 163,148 ballots higher than the state’s 6:43 a.m. report, which put returns at 48.30%. Oregon’s unofficial ballot return report.
Counties had logged 147,613 ballots with a Tuesday receipt date by the afternoon update. The number of ballots recorded as received Monday also rose to 286,421 as counties processed earlier arrivals. The increase between reports reflects ballots logged with both Election Day and earlier receipt dates.
Democrats lead in ballots returned, Republicans in estimated participation
Registered Democrats had returned 667,966 ballots, about 40% of all returns and 160,467 more than registered Republicans. Republicans had returned 507,499 ballots, or 30.41% of the statewide total. Relative to each party’s October registration count, an estimated 68.81% of Republicans and 67.54% of Democrats had returned ballots. The Republican edge grew from 0.75 percentage points in the morning to 1.27 points in the afternoon.
Nonaffiliated voters accounted for the second-largest increase between reports, adding 50,599 ballots after the morning snapshot, compared with 55,551 from Democrats and 45,193 from Republicans. Nonaffiliated voters made up 22.62% of afternoon returns, up from 21.71% in the morning. An estimated 32.69% of voters in that group had returned ballots. The Independent Party of Oregon, a separate registration category, accounted for 88,266 returns.
| Voter affiliation | Ballots returned | Share of all returns | Estimated return rate within group | Final 2022 turnout within group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 667,966 | 40.03% | 67.54% | 78.5% |
| Republican | 507,499 | 30.41% | 68.81% | 82.8% |
| Nonaffiliated | 377,539 | 22.62% | 32.69% | 44.5% |
| Independent Party | 88,266 | 5.29% | 56.99% | 69.8% |
| Libertarian | 8,008 | 0.48% | 42.70% | 61.2% |
| Other | 7,377 | 0.44% | 42.35% | 55.6% |
| Pacific Green | 3,975 | 0.24% | 51.44% | 66.1% |
| Working Families | 3,016 | 0.18% | 35.40% | 39.4% |
| No Labels | 2,949 | 0.18% | 29.29% | — |
| Progressive | 2,247 | 0.13% | 50.26% | 65.1% |
| Statewide | 1,668,842 | 100% | 53.53% | 66.9% |
The share column shows each group’s portion of all ballots received. The return-rate column shows the estimated percentage of voters in each group who returned ballots, using the state’s Oct. 5 registration report. The statewide rate uses the Oct. 16 active-voter count. No Labels was not listed separately in 2022.
How the afternoon count compares with 2022
The afternoon tally was 328,847 ballots short of the 1,997,689 returned by the end of Oregon’s 2022 general election. The mix of returns was close to the final 2022 breakdown. Democrats accounted for 39.98% of returns that year, Republicans for 30.31% and nonaffiliated voters for 23.08%. The 2026 figures reflect ballot envelopes logged by midafternoon. Candidate totals come from the separate vote count.
Ballot deadline and election results
Voters who still have their ballots can sign their return envelopes and take them to an official drop box by 8 p.m. Tuesday. County elections offices are open until 8 p.m. and can help with missing or damaged ballots. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by 8 p.m. on Election Day and received by Nov. 10. Find a drop box · Contact your county elections office · Track your ballot
Oregon expects to post its first unofficial election results shortly after 8 p.m. Final certification is scheduled for Dec. 10. Oregon election results
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