Voters with Disabilities and the 2014 Elections November 10, 2014
Elections in Oregon Produced by the League of Women Voters® of Oregon Education Fund.
-
Upload
martin-mccoy -
Category
Documents
-
view
219 -
download
2
Transcript of Elections in Oregon Produced by the League of Women Voters® of Oregon Education Fund.
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.
(c) 2012 2
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) 2012 3
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)
(c) 2012 4
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
(c) 2012 5
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) 2012 6
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) 2012 7
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) 2012 8
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.
(c) 2012 10
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.
(c) 2012 11
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.
(c) 2012 12
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) 2012 13
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) 2012 14
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) 2012 15
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.
(c) 2012 16
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.
(c) 2012 17
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
(c) 2012 18
(c) 2012 19
For more information, contact the League of Women Voters® of Oregon Education Fundwww.VoteOregon.org/mockelection
[email protected]; 503-581-5722