Your ballot, explained.

Heard this? Here are the facts

Each claim gets a plain status: True, False, or Promised, not law.

• Heard this? "You need to show a photo ID to vote in Oregon." False
  The facts: Oregon votes by mail. You sign your ballot envelope, and the county checks your signature against your voter record. New voters give a driver's license, state ID, or Social Security number when they register. source: sos.oregon.gov
• Heard this? "You can register to vote in Oregon on Election Day." False
  The facts: The deadline to register is 21 days before Election Day. For Nov 3 2026, that was Oct 13. source: sos.oregon.gov
• Heard this? "A mailed ballot only counts if it arrives by Election Day." False
  The facts: A mailed ballot counts if it is postmarked by Election Day and reaches the county within 7 days after. In 2026 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal law does not override state deadlines like this one. Mail early or use a drop box to be safe. source: sos.oregon.gov source: apps.oregon.gov
• Heard this? "People with a felony conviction can never vote again in Oregon." False
  The facts: Only people currently in prison for a felony cannot vote. Once released, a person can vote right away but must register again or update their registration. source: sos.oregon.gov
• Heard this? "A federal order ended vote by mail in Oregon for this election." False
  The facts: Court cases about Executive Order 14399 and the Postal Service are still going on. The Secretary of State told counties that all of Oregon's election laws stay in effect, and ballots are being mailed on the normal schedule. source: sos.oregon.gov
• Heard this? "You'll get $5,000 after the election." Promised, not law
  The facts: On Sept. 9, 2026 the President promised every adult $5,000, a "Trump Dividend", if Republicans keep both the House and the Senate. It is a campaign promise that depends on the election results; no law or payment exists today. Congress would have to pass it, and AP estimates it would cost over $1 trillion. Is this legal? Experts disagree. Richard Painter, chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, wrote: "No, Mr. President you can't offer voters $5000 if the Republicans win the House and Senate." Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner called it a completed crime under the federal vote-buying law (18 U.S.C. 597). Election attorney John Day told AP it is legal because it would go to everyone regardless of how they vote: "This is a campaign promise." Rice University political scientist Mark Jones: "It's unsavory, but it's legal." Your ballot is secret, so no payment can depend on how you personally vote. source: kold.com source: internazionale.it source: newsweek.com source: ibtimes.co.uk source: katv.com
• Heard this? "Someone can legally pay you to vote, or to vote a certain way." False
  The facts: No. Paying or offering to pay anyone to vote or to register to vote in a federal election is a federal crime (52 U.S.C. 10307(c)). Accepting the payment is a crime too. source: law.cornell.edu
• Heard this? "The $1 million-a-day giveaway in 2024 paid people for voting." False
  The facts: That contest was open only to registered voters in seven swing states, and entering meant signing a petition, not voting. The group's lawyer told a Pennsylvania court the winners were "not chosen by chance". The judge let it continue. source: aljazeera.com

Checked against official sources, court records and news reports. We update this as new claims go around.