The Act requires the Governor to appoint a U.S. Senator when a vacancy happens in the office. The Act states when the appointment ends and when a special election must occur.
Requires the Governor to appoint a United States Senator when a vacancy in the office occurs. Requires that the appointed Senator be of the same political party as the elected Senator who vacated the office. Prohibits the Governor from appointing the Governor to fill the vacancy. Requires the Governor to call a special election within a specified period after the vacancy occurs. Requires the appointment to end when a replacement is elected.
The bill changes the special election from as soon as possible, to not less than 80 days or more than 150 days. There is no justification to wait 80 days unless it’s to give the appointed person an advantage in a special election.
The Governor has 30 days to make the appointment, and law calls for an election after 79 days, which only leaves 50 days for the replacement to serve. Senators Merkey and Wyden claims it puts Oregon at a disadvantage because of timing on work in progress. How much good is a new person in 50 days? Prolonging the election, the training of a new person is prolong and perhaps doubled in time if a different person is elected.
The U.S. Constitution provides for the direct election of Senators by the people, a
principle enshrined by the 17th Amendment. By allowing the governor to appoint a Senator, we risk undermining this constitutional safeguard and returning to a system that circumvents the will of the voters. The people should retain the power to choose their representatives, not have that power taken away by an unelected official.
THE BILL PASSED THE SENATE AND PROGRESSES TO THE HOUSE.