Resources for Returning your Ballot | Pacific Votes!

The 2022 midterm election will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 8 and there are multiple resources on campus to ensure your voting experience is as easy as possible. The Tom McCcall Center for Civic Engament (MCCE) invites all Boxers (students, staff and faculty) to take advantage of the following resources, regardless of where you cast your vote. The MCCE is strictly non-partisan, which means our staff will never tell you who to vote for, but are dedicated to making sure you are able to cast your vote with confidence.

Completing Your Ballot

• Mark your calendars! Friday, Oct. 28 is National Vote Early Day. Look for the MCCE table in the University Center. Staff will be on hand from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bring your ballot for on-the-spot support or stop by for resources to do so in the comfort of your own home.
• Curious about the options on your ballot? The non-partisan site BallotPedia has excellent resources for comparing candidates and understanding the ramifications of ballot measures. Simply enter your permanent address (in Oregon or another home state if you're voting by absentee ballot) in their Sample Ballot Lookup and you'll have all those details at your fingertips. Other non-partisan sites with similar resources include BallotReady and Vote 411. 
• Oregon voters can also find voter guides in the UC mail room, the Tran library, the UC information desk, and online in 15 languages.

Returning Your Ballot

• Oregon voters can drop their ballot in the drop box on Pacific Avenue by following the brightly colored "Ballot Box Walk" from Trombley Square starting Oct. 28. If you prefer to vote closer to home or work, use the state's Drop Box Locator.
• All voters regardless of the state they are voting in can return their ballot via the USPS, including at the UC Mail Room. Need postage? Simply inform the mail room staff that you're mailing a ballot and they will charge the MCCE instead of you!
• Oregon voters must have their ballot returned (via drop-box or mail) no later than 8pm on November 8th. If you're voting via absentee ballot in another state, we strongly recommend you return your ballot no later than Monday, Oct. 31. State deadlines vary and you want to be extra sure a postal delay does not impact your right to vote.

Understanding the Election Results 

• Join Emeritus Professor Jeff Seward for an Election Night Watch Party on Nov. 8, in the Forest Grove Campus University Center. Dr. Seward's commentary will begin at 6 p.m. and continue throughout the evening. Pizza and treats will be available for all attendees. This viewing party promises to improve your understanding of the evening's process and results, while tempering the anxiety-inducing frenzy of traditional media reporting. Drop in for a meal and a chat as the 2022 midterm rolls on!
• Join Professor Jim Moore for a post-election What Just Happened? at 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10. Dr. Moore will provide an explanation of the 2022 midterm results and a exploration of the possible ramification for our community and country.
• Both BIPOC Let's Talk and Queer Let's Talk sessions during election week will be specifically geared towards supporting students around election-related concerns.
• The Student Counseling Center offers walk-in same-day support for students Monday-Friday at noon via teletherapy or in person in its Forest Grove and Hillsboro offices. Students are also encouraged to contact the SCC 24/7 Support & Crisis Line at 503-352-2999 for immediate support for election-related distress. 

Still have questions? All Boxers are invited to contact the Tom McCall Center for Civic Engagement for additional support. Contact us at mcce@pacificu.edu, or check out Pacific Votes!