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Oregon House of Representatives elections, 2020
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| 2020 Oregon House Elections | |
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| General | November 3, 2020 |
| Primary | May 19, 2020 |
| Past Election Results |
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| 2020 Elections | |
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Democrats lost a seat in the 2020 elections for Oregon House of Representatives but maintained their majority. All 60 seats in the chamber were up for election in 2020. Heading into the election, Democrats held 38 seats and Republicans held 22. Republicans gained a net one seat, leaving Democrats with a 37-23 majority.
Rep. Janelle Bynum (D) challenged Tina Kotek (D) for the house speakership role, but ended her bid for the position on January 4. It would have been the first open floor challenge for house speaker since 2013, when Kotek was first elected to the position.[1] To read more about the race for Oregon's speaker of the house, click here
The Oregon House of Representatives was one of 86 state legislative chambers with elections in 2020. All 60 House seats were up for election in 2020. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2018, 87 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections.
Oregon's 2020 state legislative elections affected partisan control of redistricting following the 2020 census. In Oregon, the state legislature is responsible for drafting both congressional and state legislative district plans. District plans are subject to gubernatorial veto.
Aftermath of elections
Selection of speaker
Rep. Janelle Bynum (D) announced on November 9 that she would challenge Rep. Tina Kotek (D) for the house speaker position, and would prioritize legislation around criminal justice and accountability in policing if selected.[2][3] Bynum said in a statement ahead of the Democratic caucus speaker vote: "In this moment of shattering norms and elevating often unheard voices, I feel called to run and would be honored to serve."[2] Kotek released a statement before the caucus vote saying, "We have a huge amount of work to do on behalf of Oregonians, and I am ready to bring my experience to bear and get things done."[4]
In the November 16, 2020, Democratic caucus meeting, Kotek did not receive the 31 vote pledges needed to secure her re-election as Oregon's house speaker ahead of the official vote.[4] The Associated Press wrote about possible partisan dynamics of the official vote, saying: "It was unclear [...] if Democrats planned to vote in lockstep for Kotek on the Oregon House floor. If they don’t, it could create an opening for Bynum — who is more moderate than Kotek — to build a coalition of Republicans and Democrats."[4]
On January 4, Bynum rescinded her bid for the speakership. In a statement, she said: "My fervent hope is to lead the Oregon House of Representatives as speaker, and I look forward to the day in the near future where Oregon state representatives are able to vote with pride and unity to elect me to lead the chamber. Until that day comes, I will continue to lead with dignity, a sense of fairness, an eye for our collective economic prosperity, and a deep, unbridled love for the children of this state." Kotek released a joint statement with House Majority Leader Barbara Smith Warner (D) that day saying, "[Bynum]—along with other members of the BIPOC Caucus and other community leaders—has continually pointed out structural problems big and small that conspire to exclude diverse voices in the Legislature. We are deeply grateful for their work to make clear the moral urgency for action, and we are redoubling our efforts to tear down these barriers swiftly and completely."[5]
A candidate for the speakership needed to receive 31 of Oregon's 60 house votes in the official speaker election on January 11, 2021, to win the position.[6] After the 2020 elections, Democrats had a 37-23 majority in the chamber.
Election procedure changes in 2020
Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.
Oregon did not modify any procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Party control
| Oregon House of Representatives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2020 | After November 4, 2020 | |
| Democratic Party | 38 | 37 | |
| Republican Party | 22 | 23 | |
| Total | 60 | 60 | |
Candidates
General election candidates
Oregon House of Representatives general election 2020 |
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| Office |  Democratic |
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Other |
| District 1 |
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| District 2 |
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| District 4 |
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Mary Middleton (Democratic Party, Independent) |
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| District 5 |
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| District 6 |
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Alberto Enriquez (Democratic Party, Independent) |
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| District 7 |
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| District 8 |
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| District 9 |
Cal Mukumoto (Democratic Party, Working Families Party) |
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| District 10 |
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| District 12 |
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| District 15 |
Miriam Cummins (Democratic Party, Working Families Party) |
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| District 16 |
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| District 17 |
Paige Hook (Democratic Party, Working Families Party) |
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| District 18 |
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| District 19 |
Jacqueline Leung (Democratic Party, Working Families Party, Progressive Party) |
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| District 20 |
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| District 22 |
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| District 23 |
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Scott Clawson (Libertarian Party) |
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| District 24 |
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| District 25 |
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Ramiro Navarro Jr. (Democratic Party, Working Families Party) |
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| District 27 |
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| District 28 |
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| District 29 |
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| District 30 |
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Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 31 |
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| District 32 |
Debbie Boothe-Schmidt (Democratic Party, Working Families Party) |
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| District 46 |
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| District 47 |
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Ashton Simpson (Working Families Party) |
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| District 48 |
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| District 49 |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 50 |
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| District 51 |
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| District 53 |
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| District 54 |
Cheri Helt (i) |
Cheri Helt (i) (Republican Party, Libertarian Party, Independent) |
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| District 55 |
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| District 56 |
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| District 57 |
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| District 58 |
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| District 59 |
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Arlene Burns (Democratic Party, Independent, Working Families Party) |
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| District 60 |
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= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection
Primary election candidates
The candidate list below is based on candidate filing lists provided by the Oregon Secretary of State on March 10, 2020. (I) denotes an incumbent.[7]
Convention candidates
The Pacific Green Party statewide convention took place on June 6, 2020.[8]
Incumbents who were not re-elected
Incumbents defeated in the general election
One incumbent lost in the Nov. 3 general election. That incumbents was:
| Name | Party | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Cheri Helt |  Republican |
House District 54 |
Incumbents defeated in primary elections
No incumbents lost in the May 19 primaries.
Retiring incumbents
Eleven incumbents did not run for re-election in 2020.[9] This created an open seat, where a new officeholder was guaranteed to be elected. Those incumbents were:
The 11 seats left open in 2020 were the most since 2016.
| Open Seats in Oregon House of Representatives elections: 2010 - 2020 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2020 | 60 | 11 (18 percent) | 49 (82 percent) |
| 2018 | 60 | 7 (12 percent) | 53 (88 percent) |
| 2016 | 60 | 14 (23 percent) | 46 (77 percent) |
| 2014 | 60 | 15 (25 percent) | 45 (75 percent) |
| 2012 | 60 | 8 (13 percent) | 52 (87 percent) |
| 2010 | 60 | 5 (8 percent) | 55 (92 percent) |
Process to become a candidate
For major party candidates
See statutes: Chapter 249, Sections 020, 068 and 056 of the Oregon Revised Statutes
A major party candidate can gain access to the ballot via one of two methods: by paying a filing fee or by filing a nominating petition.
Filing fee
A candidate of a major party can have his or her name printed on the ballot by filing a declaration of candidacy with the Oregon Secretary of State and paying the requisite filing fees. Filing fees are as follows:[10][11][12]
| Filing fees for major party candidates in Oregon | |
|---|---|
| Office sought | Fee |
| United States Senator | $150 |
| Governor, secretary of state, treasurer, attorney general, labor and industries commissioner, United States Representative | $100 |
| State senator and state representative | $25 |
Nominating petition
A candidate of a major party can have his or her name printed on the ballot by filing a nominating petition with the Oregon Secretary of State. Signature requirements are as follows:[13]
| Petition signature requirements for major party candidates in Oregon | |
|---|---|
| Office sought | Required signatures |
| United States Representative |
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| Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Attorney General, United States Senator |
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| State Senator & State Representative |
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For minor party candidates
Recognized minor parties (as defined in this article) are not permitted to participate in primary elections and instead must select candidates by nominating convention.
For unaffiliated candidates
An unaffiliated candidate can gain access to the ballot via one of two methods: nomination by individual electors or nomination by an assembly of electors.
Nomination by individual electors
See statutes: Chapter 249, Section 740 of the Oregon Revised Statutes
An unaffiliated candidate must submit the appropriate filing form with the Oregon Secretary of State and obtain approval to circulate the nominating petition prior to collecting signatures. Once approval has been obtained, circulators must gather signatures equal to at least 1 percent of the total votes cast for all candidates for presidential electors in the most recent general election within the electoral district for which the nomination is being sought.[14]
Nomination by assembly of electors
See statutes: Chapter 249, Section 735 of the Oregon Revised Statutes
The process for nomination by assembly of electors is described below:[15][16]
- File Preliminary Certificate: Submit a draft certificate (minus signatures) to the Secretary of State, including a statement on paid circulators.
- Announce Assembly: Not later than 10 days before a single‑day, 12‑hour meeting, publish notice once in three local newspapers; include date/time, office(s), and 25 or more petitioning electors.[17]
- Hold Assembly: Convene at the published time and place with the statutory minimum voters (250 for local/state legislative; 500 for U.S. House; 1,000 for statewide/U.S. Senate), record each elector’s name/address and votes in the minutes.
- Finalize Nomination: File the certified minutes and publication affidavit with the Secretary of State (or county clerk); signatures in the minutes are then verified and the nomination is accepted.[18][19]
Signature requirements for nomination by an assembly of electors are described in the table below.
| Signature requirements for nomination by an assembly of electors in Oregon | |
|---|---|
| Office sought | Required signatures |
| United States Representative | 500 signatures obtained at the assembly |
| Governor, secretary of state, treasurer, attorney general, United States Senator | 1,000 signatures obtained at the assembly |
| State senator and state representative | 250 signatures obtained at the assembly |
For write-in candidates
Write-in candidates are not required to submit candidate filing forms in advance. In the event that a write-in candidate is nominated or elected, the election official will notify the candidate by sending a write-in acceptance form.[20] To accept the nomination or office, the candidate must complete, sign, and return the form to the election official.
2020 ballot access requirements
The table below details filing requirements for Oregon House of Representatives candidates in the 2020 election cycle.
| Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chamber name | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| Oregon House of Representatives | Qualified party | N/A | $25.00 | 3/10/2020 | Source |
| Oregon House of Representatives | Unaffiliated | 1% of votes cast for president in the district in the last election | N/A | 8/25/2020 | Source |
Qualifications
Article 4, Section 8 of the Oregon Constitution states:
- No person shall be a Senator or Representative who at the time of election is not a citizen of the United States; nor anyone who has not been for one year next preceding the election an inhabitant of the district from which the Senator or Representative may be chosen. However, for purposes of the general election next following the operative date of an apportionment under section 6 of this Article, the person must have been an inhabitant of the district from January 1 of the year following the reapportionment to the date of the election.
- Senators and Representatives shall be at least twenty one years of age.
- No person shall be a Senator or Representative who has been convicted of a felony during:
- The term of office of the person as a Senator or Representative; or
- The period beginning on the date of the election at which the person was elected to the office of Senator or Representative and ending on the first day of the term of office to which the person was elected.
- No person is eligible to be elected as a Senator or Representative if that person has been convicted of a felony and has not completed the sentence received for the conviction prior to the date that person would take office if elected. As used in this subsection, “sentence received for the conviction” includes a term of imprisonment, any period of probation or post-prison supervision and payment of a monetary obligation imposed as all or part of a sentence.
- Notwithstanding sections 11 and 15, Article IV of this Constitution:
- The office of a Senator or Representative convicted of a felony during the term to which the Senator or Representative was elected or appointed shall become vacant on the date the Senator or Representative is convicted.
- A person elected to the office of Senator or Representative and convicted of a felony during the period beginning on the date of the election and ending on the first day of the term of office to which the person was elected shall be ineligible to take office and the office shall become vacant on the first day of the next term of office.
- Subject to subsection (4) of this section, a person who is ineligible to be a Senator or Representative under subsection (3) of this section may:
- Be a Senator or Representative after the expiration of the term of office during which the person is ineligible; and
- Be a candidate for the office of Senator or Representative prior to the expiration of the term of office during which the person is ineligible.
- No person shall be a Senator or Representative who at all times during the term of office of the person as a Senator or Representative is not an inhabitant of the district from which the Senator or Representative may be chosen or has been appointed to represent. A person shall not lose status as an inhabitant of a district if the person is absent from the district for purposes of business of the Legislative Assembly. Following the operative date of an apportionment under section 6 of this Article, until the expiration of the term of office of the person, a person may be an inhabitant of any district.
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2024[21] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $35,052/year | $157/day |
When sworn in
Oregon legislators assume office the second Monday in January following the election.[22]
Oregon political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
Oregon Party Control: 1992-2025
Seventeen years of Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | S | S | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| House | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | S | S | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Presidential politics in Oregon
2016 Presidential election results
| U.S. presidential election, Oregon, 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic |  Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine |
50.1% | 1,002,106 | 7 | |
| Republican | Donald Trump/Mike Pence | 39.1% | 782,403 | 0 | |
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | 4.7% | 94,231 | 0 | |
| Green | Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka | 2.5% | 50,002 | 0 | |
| - | Write-in votes | 3.6% | 72,594 | 0 | |
| Total Votes | 2,001,336 | 7 | |||
| Election results via: Oregon Secretary of State | |||||
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Oregon generally utilizes a closed primary process. The selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members for presidential and legislative elections.[23][24]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
Oregon is an all-mail voting state.[25] Each county provides privacy booths that voters can use to mark their ballot.[26] County clerks' offices are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time on Election Day.[27] Oregon is divided between the Mountain and Pacific time zones.
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in Oregon, one must be a resident of Oregon, a United States citizen, and at least 16 years old. Voters must be at least 18 years old by the day of the election in order to receive a ballot.[28] Potential voters can register online or by mailing in a voter registration form to your county election office. The deadline to register is 21 days before the election.[28]
Automatic registration
Oregon implemented automatic voter registration in 2016. For more information, click here.
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Oregon has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
Oregon does not allow same-day voter registration.[28]
Residency requirements
To register to vote in Oregon, you must be a resident of the state.[28]
Verification of citizenship
Oregon does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, a voter who knowingly falsely registers "can be fined up to $125,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 5 years."[29]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[30] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The Oregon Secretary of State’s Office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.
Voter ID requirements
Oregon is an all-mail voting state. When registering to vote, voters must provide their driver's license number or state ID card number. If voters can not provide this information, they can print and sign a online voter registration form and mail it to their county election office to complete their registration.[25]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Willamette Week, "We Asked Rep. Janelle Bynum How the Oregon House Would Be Different Under Her Leadership," December2, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Willamette Week, "Statement from Rep. Janelle Bynum," November 9, 2020
- ↑ Willamette Week, "We Asked Rep. Janelle Bynum How the Oregon House Would Be Different Under Her Leadership," December 2, 2020
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Associated Press, "Kotek faces challenge from fellow Dem for House speaker," November 17, 2020
- ↑ Willamette Week, "Kotek Survives House Leadership Challenge From Bynum, Pledges Equity Reforms to Address BIPOC Concerns," January 4, 2020
- ↑ The Oregonian, "Oregon House Democrats divided on whether to keep Tina Kotek as speaker, as Janelle Bynum vies to be first House leader of color," November 17, 2020
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Candidate Filing Search," accessed March 10, 2020
- ↑ Pacific Green Party, "Pacific Green Party Nominations for Senate, House, State and County Offices," June 13, 2020
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ Oregon Revised Statutes, "Chapter 249, Section 020," accessed April 24, 2025
- ↑ Oregon Revised Statutes, "Chapter 249, Section 035," accessed April 24, 2025
- ↑ Oregon Revised Statutes, "Chapter 249, Section 056," accessed January 10, 2014
- ↑ Oregon Revised Statutes, "Chapter 249, Section 068," accessed April 24, 2025
- ↑ Oregon Revised Statutes, "Chapter 249, Section 740," accessed April 24, 2025
- ↑ Oregon Revised Statutes, "Chapter 249, Section 735," accessed April 24, 2025
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "2020 State Candidate Manual," April 24, 2025
- ↑ Oregon Revised Statutes, "Chapter 249, Section 737," accessed April 24, 2025
- ↑ Oregon Revised Statutes, "Chapter 249, Section 720," accessed April 24, 2025
- ↑ Oregon Revised Statutes, "Chapter 249, Section 008," accessed April 24, 2025
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Candidate Filing - Write-in Acceptance Form (SEL 141)," accessed April 24, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ Oregon Constitution, "Article IV, Section 4," accessed February 17, 2021
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures,"State Primary Election Types," accessed October 4, 2024
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State,"Frequently Asked Questions," accessed October 4, 2024
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Oregon Secretary of State, “Voting in Oregon,” accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ Deschutes County Oregon, “Voting in Oregon FAQ,” accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ Oregon.gov, "Public Elections Calendar, November 2024," accessed January 9, 2024
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 Oregon Secretary of State, "Oregon Online Voter Registration," accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Oregon Voter Registration Card," accessed November 2, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
