Tobias Read will ‘pursue all available means’ to protect Oregon’s right to run elections

Presenter:  Whatever the U.S. Supreme Court may later rule, Oregon’s November elections are already underway, and will be administered by Oregon law, just as it says in the U.S. Constitution. Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Reed spoke  Aug. 25:

Tobias Read (Oregon, secretary of state): Today, in response to the uncertainty caused by the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that lifted the injunction on the president’s executive order that seeks to restrict mail-in voting, I issued a new directive to Oregon’s local elections officials, instructing them to proceed with administering the November election according to current Oregon law, and reiterating election procedures and timelines.

The purpose of this directive is to provide certainty to local elections officials and to voters alike. Our elections will go forward as they normally do. All eligible Oregonians will receive their ballots by mail for the upcoming elections, and should plan to return them using a secure official drop box or by mail.

Litigation around the implementation of this executive order will continue, so long as it interferes with the rights of states to run elections and citizens’ rights to hold government accountable.

While the litigation is pending, all of Oregon’s statutory requirements for conducting elections remain in effect.

We will soon be sending out the first ballots for the November election, and now is not the time to make major changes to how elections are run in Oregon. I will pursue all available means to protect Oregon’s gold-standard system of elections—which routinely places us among the national leaders in voter participation.

And I want to thank our local elections officials for doing their part to maintain the integrity of our elections. I’m always encouraged and impressed and inspired by the professionalism and dedication exhibited by Oregon’s 36 county clerks and elections administrators. 

Our elections are secure and accurate and fair, and we are going to keep them that way.

With that, I’m happy to take your questions.

Presenter: The Capital Chronicle asked about the state’s contingency plans. Are you preparing for in-person voting? Secretary of State Read: 

Tobias Read (Oregon, secretary of state): We have to be prepared for any kind of disruption, whether it’s a policy change or a natural disaster. It wasn’t so long ago that we were dealing with that as well. 

But, you know, I did visit every county clerk in 2025 and we talked about that. It’s been more than a quarter century since we conducted in-person elections.

So that transition would be expensive and difficult. It’s also worth remembering this. This election is effectively underway. The preparation of ballots, getting ready to send those to those overseas and military voters within about three weeks. None of the things that I think are contained in this executive order, even if you set aside the legal questions, are practical.

So what Oregonians should feel confident about is the security, the resilience of our system, the fact that they are going to get their ballots by mail, that we’re going to have safe, accurate and fair elections, just like we have for nearly 30 years in this system.

Presenter: The Statesman Journal asked what might happen if the secretary of state’s directive is appealed. Tobias Reed:

Tobias Read (Oregon, secretary of state): I don’t have any concerns about that because this directive is essentially saying no change, continue to follow the law as it exists now. So I’m very confident in that.

Presenter: Have you been speaking with the U.S. Postal Service, and are they going to seize the ballots? 

Tobias Read (Oregon, secretary of state): We’ve been talking regularly with administrators at the U.S. Postal Service, had a meeting with the chair of the Board of Governors, our elections director talks regularly with regional administrators.

County clerks talk with their local postal service counterparts. We are working hard and doing everything we can to make sure that that process goes smoothly and without interference.

Remember: This litigation continues. The ruling from the Supreme Court was about the timing of our suit against the president’s executive order, not about the merits.

We’re also, I think waiting—the Postal Service issued their final rules but did not publish them. So that will be another important step. And as I’ve said, I’ve been in regular contact with the Oregon Department of Justice and the attorney general, and we will use every legal tool available to us, as I’m sure is true for all the other states that were a party to that original lawsuit. 

Presenter: The secretary of state says the November election is on, and to see that it’s administered under Oregon law, he will ‘pursue all available means.’

Lawsuit to block USPS rule on mail-in ballots will protect ongoing election

Oregon joined with 23 other states and Washington, D.C. Aug. 26 to block the final rule published by the U.S. Postal Service that would restrict vote-by-mail.

The rule, written in response to an executive order signed by the president, gives the USPS the power to decide who gets a ballot.

Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read is releasing the following statement:

“The November election is already underway. Now is not the time to change the rules. The USPS rule, like the executive order it arises from, is a clear attempt to make it harder for Americans to vote and undermine free, fair elections. It won’t work.

“The directive I issued yesterday instructs elections officials to proceed with running the next election as normal and according to Oregon law. If successful, this lawsuit will further protect our elections from illegal interference. Thank you to the attorney general for his quick action to advance this critical work.

“We will continue pursuing all available options to protect Oregon’s safe, accurate, and fair elections.”