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Oregon Privatization of Alcohol Sales Initiative (2022)
| Oregon Privatization of Alcohol Sales Initiative | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 8, 2022 | |
| Topic Alcohol | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type State statute | Origin Citizens |
The Oregon Privatization of Alcohol Sales Initiative was not on the ballot in Oregon as an initiated state statute on November 8, 2022.
Five versions of the initiative were filed. The initiatives would have allowed grocers to sell spirits from craft distilleries or allowed grocers to sell any liquor. At the time of filing, grocers were allowed to sell beer and wine. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission regulates the sale of liquor through contracted stores.[1]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for the measure would have been as follows:[2]
| “ |
Eligible retailers and wholesalers may be licensed to sell distilled liquor; retailers taxed on sales Result of 'Yes' Vote: 'Yes' vote authorizes licensed sales of liquor by large retail stores eligible to sell beer/wine, and wholesalers; retailers set prices; retailers taxed on sales. Result of 'No' Vote: 'No' vote retains current system of retail sales of liquor by the bottle exclusively through Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission regulated liquor stores. [3] |
” |
Ballot summary
The ballot summary for the measure would have been as follows:[2]
| “ |
Currently, only Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) regulated stores may sell liquor by the bottle; OLCC authorized to procure, sell, distribute, set prices/markup; revenue less OLCC’s costs distributed to general fund/counties/cities. Measure allows retailers licensed to sell malt beverages including beer, wine, cider to be licensed to procure, sell, set prices for bottled 'distilled liquor,' (defined) and 'low-proof spirit beverages' (defined) at premises greater than 4,000 square feet. Retailers taxed monthly at amount equal to average net markup per bottle/beverage sold through OLCC, less OLCC’s operating expenses. Measure creates license for wholesalers to procure, store, sell specified liquors to licensed retailers/other wholesalers. Other provisions.[3] |
” |
Full text
The full text of the initiative can be read here.
Support
Supporters
- Northwest Grocery Association[4]
Arguments
- Lauren Johnson and Brad Caldwell, who filed the initiative and own separate grocery markets, said, "Our measures allow local, independent and chain grocers that have safely marketed and sold beer and wine for over 80 years to sell distilled spirits."[5]
- Amanda Dalton, the chief operating officer of the Northwest Grocery Association, said, "We know that our customers want to have more choice in what alcohol they buy and where, and they believe as we do that Oregon’s state-controlled liquor system is costly and out of date."[6]
Opposition
Oregon Beverage PAC led the campaign in opposition to the initiative.[7]
Opponents
- Associated Liquor Stores of Oregon (ALSO)[7]
- Bendistillery[7]
- Hood River Distillers[7]
- Neighborhood Stores of Oregon[7]
- Oregon AFSCME[7]
- Oregon Beer & Wine Distributors Association[7]
- Oregon Brewers Guild[7]
- Oregon Distillers Guild[7]
- Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association[7]
- Oregon Wine Council[7]
- Oregon Wine Growers[7]
Arguments
- Brad Irwin, owner of Oregon Spirit Distillers in Bend and chair of the Oregon Distillers Guild, said, "We know this measure would put too many small businesses just like ours out of business for good.”[6]
Path to the ballot
The state process
In Oregon, the number of signatures required to qualify an initiated state statute for the ballot is equal to 6 percent of the votes cast for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election. Signatures for Oregon initiatives must be submitted four months prior to the next regular general election. State law also requires paid signature gatherers to submit any signatures they gather every month.
Moreover, Oregon is one of several states that require a certain number of signatures to accompany an initiative petition application. The signatures of at least 1,000 electors are required to trigger a review by state officials, a period of public commentary, and the drafting of a ballot title. Prior to gathering these initial 1,000 signatures, petitioners must submit the text of the measure, a form disclosing their planned use of paid circulators, and a form designating up to three chief petitioners. The 1,000 preliminary signatures count toward the final total required.
The requirements to get an initiated state statute certified for the 2022 ballot:
- Signatures: 112,020 valid signatures were required.
- Deadline: The deadline to submit signatures was July 8, 2022.
In Oregon, signatures are verified using a random sample method. If a first round of signatures is submitted at least 165 days before an election and contains raw, unverified signatures at least equal to the minimum requirement, but verification shows that not enough of the submitted signatures are valid, additional signatures can be submitted prior to the final deadline.
Details about this initiative
- Lauren Johnson and Brad Caldwell filed the initiative on June 25, 2021.[8]
- On September 24, 2021, the sponsors withdrew versions 31 and 32.[8]
- Johnson and Caldwell filed three additional versions on October 4, 2021.[8]
- On January 3, 2022, the sponsors withdrew versions 36 and 37.[8]
- On April 12, 2022, the campaign was cleared for signature gathering.[8]
- On May 17, the campaign announced that they were withdrawing the petition.[9]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "Initiative 31 Text," accessed June 24, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Oregon Secretary of State, "Ballot title and summary," accessed January 4, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Willamette Week, "As OLCC Faces Privatization Push, Oregon Liquor Stores Sales Set New Record Last Year," January 23, 2022
- ↑ Daily Astorian, "Grocers trying again to put liquor sales on the ballot," July 4, 2021
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Oregon Live, "Booze, sex and lawmaker walkouts: See which potential Oregon ballot measures are drawing megabucks," April 19, 2022
- ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 Keep It Local, "Home," accessed April 20, 2022
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Oregon Secretary of State, "2022 Initiative Petitions," accessed June 14, 2021
- ↑ Willamette Wee, "The Northwest Grocery Association Withdraws Liquor Privatization Ballot Measure," May 17, 2022
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