Voting

SB 579A gives felons voting privileges

Posted on March 14, 2023 by dbleiler | 1 Comments

RESCHEDULED WORK SESSION This bill allows convicted felons, while in prison, to be able to register and vote while incarcerated. A person who has been lawfully convicted of a felony has forfeited their right to vote according to the Oregon Constitution, Article 2 Section 3, passed in 1944. Voters added “unless otherwise provided by law,” however, voters didn’t really have…

HB 4133 Allows social security for voter registration

Posted on March 7, 2022 by BJ

VOTE:NO
Signed into law by Gov Brown

Supporters of ranked choice voting file petitions to implement it statewide

Posted on January 25, 2022 by BJ | 1 Comments

Supporters of a voting method that allows people to rank candidates in order of preference want to give Oregonians the chance to use the method in statewide elections. It’s called “ranked choice voting.” In Oregon, it’s been used on a limited basis in Benton County. It’s used statewide in Maine and in some American cities. Supporters of the method in…

Oregon’s political numbers as election year dawns

Posted on January 1, 2022 by BJ | 0 Comments

Saturday may be New Year’s Day, but for hardcore political watchers, the first toot of a 2022 party horn also sounds the dawn of an election year full of numbers to remember and crunch. A few key counts: It’s 69 days until the March 8 deadline to file to run for most political offices. And 139 days until the May…

2022 brings changes to Oregon law approved in 2021 session

Posted on January 1, 2022 by BJ | 0 Comments

SALEM, Ore. — 2022 brings a fresh start for us all, and it also means a lot of bills passed in Oregon during the 2021 session go into effect. On police reform, Senate Bill 621 gives Portland the go-ahead to create its new citizen-led police oversight board. Previously, state labor law was unclear on if the city and police union…

HB 3291 Allows late ballots to be counted

Posted on July 19, 2021 by BJ

VOTE:NO
Signed into Law by Gov Brown

Marquis: Don’t change rules on prison inmate voting rights

Posted on July 6, 2021 by BJ | 0 Comments

This last, painful session of the Oregon Legislature was difficult for many reasons. The building was utterly off limits to everyone but legislators and their staff, meaning there was no ability to “lobby” legislators or staff, and the actual hearings were remote, meaning there was none of the usual interchange, conversation and rarely even any questions. The result has been…

Election-day postmarked ballots will count in Oregon

Posted on June 25, 2021 by BJ | 0 Comments

Oregon, the first state to conduct all elections by mail, would join the ranks of states accepting ballots postmarked by election day under a bill that is headed to Gov. Kate Brown. House Bill 3291 was approved by the Oregon Senate without amendment on a 16-13 vote Thursday, June 24. The key vote was cast by Sen. Lee Beyer, D-Springfield,…