Elections in Oregon

Produced by the League of Women Voters® of Oregon Education Fund

Oregon law provides for two major statewide elections each even-numbered year: the Primary election in May and the General

Election in November. In addition, special or local elections may be held in March, May,

September or November.

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Elections are held:

Second Tuesday in March Third Tuesday in May Third Tuesday in September First Tuesday after the first Monday in

November

A County Clerk or Election Officer is responsible for conducting elections within each of Oregon’s 36 counties.

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Primary Elections

• Registered Democratic or Republican party members select their candidates for partisan offices

• Those registered with minor parties select their candidates through nominating conventions or other methods

• All voters vote on nonpartisan contests (judges, most local offices), measures, referrals, and referenda (if any)

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General Elections

• All voters may vote on all offices, regardless of party

• All voters may also vote on referrals, referenda, and ballot measures

• Ballot measures that began as citizen initiatives

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Special Elections

• Other elections can be held at certain times of the year to vote on– Referrals– Candidates when an elected office is vacated

before the end of the term– In rare instances, the Legislature can decide to

hold elections on initiatives or referenda at special elections.

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Vote by mail

• Oregon conducted the nation’s first statewide vote by mail in 1993 and first Congressional election by mail in 1995

• Voters approved a ballot measure that allowed vote by mail in 1998

• Oregon is the only state with an all vote by mail system

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Campaign Finance• The First amendment guarantees free speech

rights to “people” • Until 2010 the United States Code read:– “It is unlawful for any national bank, or any

corporation organized by authority of any law of Congress, to make a contribution or expenditure in connection with any election to any political office.”

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Campaign Finance

• January 2010 the US Supreme Court ruled:– “…the inherent worth of speech in terms

of its capacity for informing the public does not depend upon the identity of the source, whether corporation, association, union, or individual.”

• The change leaves questions unanswered and has changed the nature of campaign finance.

Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements in Oregon

• Candidates must disclose contributions and expenditures on a timely basis.

• The Oregon Secretary of State collects campaign finance reports from candidates and posts them.

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Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements in Oregon

• “Contributions” and “Expenditures” are defined by the state for reporting purposes.

• Oregon does not limit campaign contributions or expenditures.

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Elected Offices• National– The Electoral College elects the President.– U.S. Senators (every 6 years) and U.S.

Representatives (every 2 years) are elected directly.

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Elected Offices

• State– The Executive Branch (Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer,

etc. are elected for 4 years terms.– The Legislative Branch consists of a Senate (4 year terms) and

House of Representatives (2 year terms).– The Judicial Branch includes Supreme Court (7 judges/6 year

terms, The Court of Appeals (10 judges/6 year term), Circuit Courts (26 districts, 162 judges/6 year term) – NON-PARTISAN.

• Local – city, county and regional positions.

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Initiatives, Referenda, and Referrals

• In Oregon, citizens have the right to enact laws by removing or adding constitutional amendments and statutes

• Since 1904, Oregonians have voted on nearly

300 statewide initiatives

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Initiatives – A Powerful Tool• Used to make small technical corrections.• Used to make sweeping change.– In 1996, Measure 5 limited taxes on real property and

shifted most of the responsibility for funding schools to the state.

– In 1994 voters approved a measure to legalize physician assisted suicide.

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Initiatives – A Powerful Tool

• The Oregon Constitution requires that petitions for a proposed law be signed by the number of registered voters at least equal to 6% of those who voted for Governor at the last election.

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The Referendum

• The referendum power is the right to petition for an election to reject a law recently passed by the Legislature.

• It requires petitions signed by 4% of those who last voted for Governor.

• It must be submitted within 90 days after the Legislature adjourns.

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The Referral

• Legislators have referred measures to the voters more than 370 times.

• Reasons include:– Voter approval required to amend the

Constitution– Statutory proposals may be unpopular and the

vote removes the responsibility from legislators– to avoid the Governor’s potential veto

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For more information, contact the League of Women Voters® of Oregon Education Fundwww.VoteOregon.org/mockelection

lwvor@lwvor.org; 503-581-5722