1. (1) Absentee Ballot Requests: Series documents a citizen’s request for a ballot to be sent to them for the purpose of voting, or to change their current status as an absentee voter. Minimum retention: 1 year.
2. (2) Certified Election Results: Series documents election results for General, Primary, Emergency, Recall, and Special Elections. Minimum retention: Permanent.
3. (3) Contribution and Expenditure Reports: Series documents contributions and expenditures by candidates or political action committees. Records may include statements of organization and receipts for expenditures. The Secretary of State Elections Division maintains the statewide record copy of Statements of Organization. Minimum retention: (a) Statements of Organization, 6 years; (b) All other records, 4 years after the date required to file update reports.
4. (4) Election Filings (Candidates and Referrals): Series documents filings by a candidate or governing body for primary, general, emergency, and special elections. Records may include petitions of nomination, declarations of candidacy, certifications of nomination, certificates of election, notices of measure election, and withdrawals of candidates. Minimum retention: 4 years.
5. (5) Election Legal Notices and Publications: Series documents required pre-election legal notices by the County Clerk. Records may include publication of ballot title and notice of election. Minimum retention: 4 years.
6. (6) Election Preparation Records: (SEE Vote by Mail Records)
7. (7) Election Security Plan: Series documents the clerk’s compliance with ORS 254.074 in which they clearly outline, in writing, the county’s procedures for ensuring a secure elections process. Minimum retention: 5 years.
8. (8) Initiative, Referendum, and Recall Records: Series documents the initiative, referendum, and recall process by which voters propose laws and amendments to the State Constitution, refer an act of the Legislature or other governing body to a vote of the electorate, or recall a public official. Records may include petitions, measure information, signature sheets, signature verification records, text of proposed law, amendment, or response from public official. Minimum retention: (a) Initiative & Referendum Signature Sheets with a copy of the county or district measure, 6 years after election if measure is approved, as defined by ORS 250.235 & 255.205; (b) Signature sheets if measure is not approved, 90 days after election or 90 days after signature submission deadline if insufficient to qualify to the ballot; (c) Initiative & Referendum copy of county or district measure, if measure is approved, permanent; (d) Initiative & Referendum copy of county or district measure, if measure not approved, 4 years after election date; (e) Recall Petition Records, 4 years after election.
9. (9) Poll Books, Pre-1931: Series documents issuance of ballots to eligible voters in an election. Records may include oaths of Election Board members and certificates of registration. Minimum retention: Permanent.
10. (10) Registration List Authorizations: Series documents the request and authorization for transmittal of voter registration information to citizens. Record consists of request and authorization for list of electors for a particular political boundary. Minimum retention: 2 years.
11. (11) Secretary of State Reports: Series documents required reports to the Office of the Secretary of State summarizing election registration, participation, and costs. Records may include Special District Election Reports, Election Equipment Amortization Worksheets, Average Ballots Cast Worksheets, Allocated Cost Worksheets, and Local Elections Billing Worksheets. Minimum retention: 2 years.
12. (12) Vote by Mail Records: Series documents the preparation and administration of elections conducted by mail. Records may include counted, duplicated, rejected, and defective ballots; returned signed, non-deliverable, and secrecy envelopes; and other documents used to prepare, administer, and abstract elections conducted by mail. Minimum retention: (a) Counted, duplicated, rejected, and defective ballots, 2 years after election; (b) Unused ballots, 45 days after the election regardless of federal/nonfederal candidates; (c) Returned signed envelopes, 2 years after the election regardless of federal/nonfederal candidates; (d) Secrecy and non-deliverable envelopes, 60 days after the last day to contest the election for all elections regardless of federal/nonfederal candidates; (e) All other records used to prepare, administer, and abstract elections conducted by mail, 2 years after the election to which they relate.
13. (13) Voter Identification Records: Series documents verification of the identity and residence of a person registering to vote. Records may include copies of photo identification, utility bills, bank statements, or other documentation showing current residence. Minimum retention: Until verified by county elections official.
14. (14) Voter Registration Records: Series documents the registration or cancellation of registration of eligible voters or the cancellation of confidential voter status. Records may also include records canceling or making inactive voter registration such as the notice of deceased list from Secretary of State, notice of change of address from Department of Motor Vehicles, U.S. Postal Service notice, and related correspondence (ORS 247.580). Minimum retention: (a) Voter Registration Cards and all other records scanned into Oregon Centralized Voter Registration system (OCVR), destroy after entered into OCVR; (b) All other records, 2 years.
15. (15) Voters Pamphlet Records: Series documents the compilation, publication, and distribution of the County Voters' Pamphlet for primary, general, and statewide special elections. Minimum retention: (a) 1 copy of Voter Pamphlet, permanent; (b) Pamphlet preparation records, 4 years after election.

Statutory/Other Authority

ORS 192.005 - 192.170 & ORS 357.805 - 357.895

Statutes/Other Implemented

ORS 192.005 - 192.170 & ORS 357.805 - 357.895

History

OSA 7-2025, amend filed 11/05/2025, effective 11/05/2025
OSA 1-2014, f. & cert. ef. 2-25-14
OSA 3-2012, f. & cert. ef. 10-29-12
OSA 10-2009, f. & cert. ef. 12-23-09
OSA 4-2004, f. & cert. ef. 9-1-04