What will the Oregon Election Reform Act do?
It sweeps away partisan restrictions on who can participate in primaries.
It promotes healthy competition.
It expands voter choice.
Text of HB 3166 - 2 Amendment
Text of HB 3166 (superseded)
It sweeps away partisan restrictions on who can participate in primaries.
It promotes healthy competition.
It expands voter choice.
Text of HB 3166 - 2 Amendment
Text of HB 3166 (superseded)
Applies to the state’s most powerful offices.
US Senator, US Representative, Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, state Treasurer, state Senator, state Representative, and commissioners in many Oregon counties. Jurisdictions can opt in for their nonpartisan offices.
Allows all registered voters to vote in publicly funded primaries.
Today, Democrats and Republicans only are allowed to vote in public primaries for the state’s most powerful offices. That means that over 1.2 million voters - 43% of the electorate - are shut out simply because they are not registered with one of the two major parties.
Opens competition by allowing all qualified candidates to compete in primaries.
Today, only Democratic and Republican candidates are allowed to compete in publicly funded primaries. Non-affiliated and minor party candidates are shut out.
Levels the playing field for candidates.
Today, filing requirements are much harder to meet for non-affiliated candidates than for party candidates. The Act makes filing requirements simpler and equally applicable to all candidates for an office.
Frees voters to choose any candidate running for an office.
The Act provides for a single primary ballot for each precinct, not three ballots, one for each major party and one for everybody else. You will be able to choose who you believe to be the best candidate running for an office - without regard to party affiliation.
Encourages political parties to weigh in.
The Act enables political parties to endorse candidates in primary and general elections, and this information will be included on the ballot. Party endorsements are important information for voters. The Act includes protections that ensure party decisions on which candidates to endorse represent the views of the party’s membership. And it does not allow candidates to engage in "party label hijacking" by displaying next to their names the labels of political parties that have not endorsed them (the California system).
US Senator, US Representative, Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, state Treasurer, state Senator, state Representative, and commissioners in many Oregon counties. Jurisdictions can opt in for their nonpartisan offices.
Allows all registered voters to vote in publicly funded primaries.
Today, Democrats and Republicans only are allowed to vote in public primaries for the state’s most powerful offices. That means that over 1.2 million voters - 43% of the electorate - are shut out simply because they are not registered with one of the two major parties.
Opens competition by allowing all qualified candidates to compete in primaries.
Today, only Democratic and Republican candidates are allowed to compete in publicly funded primaries. Non-affiliated and minor party candidates are shut out.
Levels the playing field for candidates.
Today, filing requirements are much harder to meet for non-affiliated candidates than for party candidates. The Act makes filing requirements simpler and equally applicable to all candidates for an office.
Frees voters to choose any candidate running for an office.
The Act provides for a single primary ballot for each precinct, not three ballots, one for each major party and one for everybody else. You will be able to choose who you believe to be the best candidate running for an office - without regard to party affiliation.
Encourages political parties to weigh in.
The Act enables political parties to endorse candidates in primary and general elections, and this information will be included on the ballot. Party endorsements are important information for voters. The Act includes protections that ensure party decisions on which candidates to endorse represent the views of the party’s membership. And it does not allow candidates to engage in "party label hijacking" by displaying next to their names the labels of political parties that have not endorsed them (the California system).