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Oregon Measure 2, Suffrage Rights of Mentally Handicapped Persons Amendment (1980)
| Oregon Measure 2 | |
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| Election date |
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| Topic Constitutional wording changes |
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| Status |
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| Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment |
Origin |
Oregon Measure 2 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Oregon on November 4, 1980. It was approved.
A "yes" vote supported amending the Oregon Constitution to remove language prohibiting voting by a person considered an idiot or mentally diseased person and instead guarantee full voting rights to mentally handicapped individuals unless they have been legally declared incompetent to vote. |
A "no" vote opposed amending the Oregon Constitution to remove language prohibiting voting by a person considered an idiot or mentally diseased person and instead guarantee full voting rights to mentally handicapped individuals unless they have been legally declared incompetent to vote. |
Election results
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Oregon Measure 2 |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
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678,573 | 59.86% | ||
| No | 455,020 | 40.14% | ||
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for Measure 2 was as follows:
| “ | GUARANTEES MENTALLY HANDICAPPED VOTING RIGHTS, UNLESS ADJUDGED INCOMPETENT TO VOTE QUESTION - Shall mentally handicapped persons have full voting rights, unless declared incompetent to vote as provided by law? PURPOSE - Measure proposes constitutional amendment to eliminate present language which prohibits voting by an “idiot or mentally diseased person,” changing it to guarantee full voting rights to mentally handicapped persons, unless they have been declared in the manner provided by law to be incompetent to vote. | ” |
Full Text
The full text of this measure is available here.
Path to the ballot
- See also: Amending the Oregon Constitution
A simple majority vote is required during one legislative session for the Oregon State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 31 votes in the Oregon House of Representatives and 16 votes in the Oregon State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
See also
External links
Footnotes
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State of Oregon Salem (capital) |
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