Oregon

1) What are the standards that are used to judge whether signatures don't match. Who judges them? I've been since told that handwriting experts are used to analyze them.

A) The ballots are initially ran through a machine for verification on election day. I believe it is an automated process as I was told that's the first step before they are sorted bundled by precinct. If ballots are set aside due to a sig mis-match the voter is contacted and allowed to respond in a timely manner. I believe the rules are more intense during a recount, but basically the same. I volunteered to be an observer during the recount but due to physical limitations and because the actual rules for observers and enhanced responsibilities I disqualified myself. I can assure you that the ballot counting process is well managed, ballots checked-verified and then checked again with each step tracked, logged and initialed. I was amazed.

2) What kind of observance by third parties monitor this process?
A) As I understand it-Depending on population/size of county etc, there is always at least one observer from every party there or at least they are invited and allowed to be there. The day I volunteered I was the Only observer, but for our size, If a member of any other party wanted to be there and showed up--they could have.

3) Are these processes evenly applied in all counties across the state, or just in certain counties versus others? What happened in Clackamas County with vote counting has me wanting to know how all counties do this counting, not just large counties that we have more representation in those administering the process like Washington and Multnomah.
A) What happened in ClackCo? Sorry, I'm a bit out of the loop-
To the best of my knowledge, all election processes are determined by and under State of Oregon Election ORS and OAR's

4) When looking at signature matches, for the honest voters that have problems having their signatures match, is 8 days to respond long enough? You have to ask yourself who are the honest voters that are most likely affected by this wrongly. It is likely the elderly or other voters who have chronic health conditions that don't allow for them to sign their signatures in a consistent fashion that might have larger problems responding to a 8 day notice to validate or fix their ballots than other voters. And in a vote like Measure 92, I would guess that these voters, as voters that are likely more concerned about health issues than other Oregon voters do percentage-wise, that they would be more have apt to have voted for measure 92. So, even if those who are counting votes have no other visibility of the person's ballot other than their signature, those with an agenda might feel more inclined to invalidate signatures that are "close" to being valid in this election than in other elections where such ballots might not make a difference and be more inclined to vote a certain way.

A) I believe 8 days is adequate, but-if you don't, then lobby your lawmakers to make a change..as well as contact OR SoS Kate Brown with your concerns, request that they also request a change via the legislature. You raise some important concerns. However, remember also-they were contacted, as I understand initially during the general election process---I believe (tho I could be wrong) that the 8 day timely response requirement may apply to the recount process. I'd like to know and will call SoS to find out.
There are So many Observers during the recount process, while possible-it would be extraordinarily difficult to "cheat". The regular business of counting our ballots here in OR is very well done, lots of observing and verifying--but the Recount process is "off the charts" serious.
We had to go through some pretty specific training before the recount. The directives and rules are very rigid, strict and intense. If you live here..and you are able-I totally encourage you to be an observer. You'll feel a lot better and secure about the value they place on counting Your vote.

All that said-I reserve the right to possibly be wrong I'm going off memory here and at my age--that can be risky business...lol