ELECTIONS IN OREGON Produced by the League of Women Voters® of Oregon Education Fund

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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. (c)

Primary Elections Registered Democrats or Republicans 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) (c)

General Elections All voters may vote on: All offices, regardless of party Referrals, referenda, and ballot measures Ballot measures that began as citizen initiatives (c)

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. (c)

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 (c)

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.” (c)

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. (c)

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 on ORESTAR. (c)

Oregon Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements “Contributions” and “Expenditures” are defined by the state for reporting purposes. Oregon does not limit campaign contributions or expenditures. (c)

Elected Offices National The Electoral College elects the President. Citizens directly elect U.S. Senators (every 6 years) and U.S. Representatives (every 2 years). (c)

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. (c)

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 (c)

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. (c)

Initiatives – Require 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. (c)

The Referendum 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. (c)

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. Voting removes the legislator responsibility Avoid the Governor’s potential veto (c)

(c) For more information, contact the League of Women Voters® of Oregon Education Fund