Signature requirements for ballot measures in Oregon
This page details signature requirements for statewide ballot measures in Oregon.
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Signature requirements
The number of signatures required to qualify a measure for the ballot in Oregon is tied to the number of votes cast for the office of governor in the state's most recent gubernatorial election. Valid signatures equaling eight (8) percent of these votes are needed for initiated constitutional amendments, and signatures equal to six (6) percent of these votes are required for initiated state statutes. Signatures equal to four (4) percent of the votes cast for governor are needed for a veto referendum.
The chart below shows election years and the signature requirement for initiatives designed to appear on the ballot in that year, with gubernatorial election years bolded.| Year | Amendment | Statute | Veto referendum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 160,551 | 120,413 | 80,276 |
| 2024 | 160,551 | 120,413 | 80,276 |
| 2022 | 149,360 | 112,020 | 74,680 |
| 2020 | 149,360 | 112,020 | 74,680 |
| 2018 | 117,578 | 88,184 | 58,789 |
| 2016 | 117,578 | 88,184 | 58,789 |
| 2014 | 116,284 | 87,213 | 58,142 |
| 2012 | 116,284 | 87,213 | 58,142 |
| 2010 | 110,358 | 82,769 | 55,179 |
| 2008 | 110,358 | 82,769 | 55,179 |
See law: Oregon Constitution, Article IV, Section 1
Changes in number of required signatures
Basis for calculation
The following numbers of votes were cast for the position of governor in each year listed:[1]
| Year | Votes cast for governor |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 2,006,888 |
| 2018 | 1,866,997 |
| 2014 | 1,469,717 |
| 2012 | 1,453,548 |
While there was a special gubernatorial election in 2016, this election did not reset the signature requirements for initiatives since initiative signature requirements are based on regular gubernatorial elections.
Deadlines
Signatures for Oregon initiatives must be submitted four months prior to the next regular general election. Since these elections are scheduled biennially, petitioners have approximately two years to circulate petitions. To maximize the circulation period, petitioners should make their initial filing shortly after the final filing deadline for the election prior to the election at which the measure will be considered. If signatures are submitted at least 165 days before an election and the petition is found insufficient, additional signatures can be submitted prior to the final deadline.
In addition to the final deadline, Oregon imposes special deadlines for submitting signatures gathered by paid circulators. Paid gatherers must submit their signatures after every month. Signatures that were collected more than a month before any given monthly submission will not be counted. The exact day of the month for submitting these signatures is set by the secretary of state.
2026
Signatures for Oregon initiatives must be submitted four months prior to the next regular general election. For measures targeting the November 3, 2026, ballot, the deadline is Wednesday, July 2, 2026. If signatures are submitted at least 165 days before an election and the petition is found insufficient, additional signatures can be submitted prior to the final deadline. The signature verification deadline is August 2, 2026.
2024
Signatures for Oregon initiatives must be submitted four months prior to the next regular general election. For measures targeting the November 5, 2024, ballot, the deadline was Friday, July 5, 2024. If signatures are submitted at least 165 days before an election and the petition is found insufficient, additional signatures can be submitted prior to the final deadline.
2022
Signatures for Oregon initiatives must be submitted four months prior to the next regular general election. For measures targeting the November 8, 2022, ballot, the deadline was Friday, July 8, 2022. If signatures are submitted at least 165 days before an election and the petition is found insufficient, additional signatures can be submitted prior to the final deadline.
2020
Signatures for Oregon initiatives must be submitted four months prior to the next regular general election. For measures targeting the November 3, 2020, ballot, the deadline was Friday, July 2, 2020. If signatures are submitted at least 165 days before an election and the petition is found insufficient, additional signatures can be submitted prior to the final deadline.
2018
For initiated state statutes and initiated constitutional amendments, the signature petition deadline was July 6, 2018. For referendums, sate law requires signatures to be submitted no later than 90 days after the final adjournment of the legislature.
2016
For initiated state statutes and initiated constitutional amendments, the signature petition deadline was July 8, 2016. For referendums, signatures needed to submitted no later than 90 days after the final adjournment of the legislature.
2014
The deadline for filing signatures for the November 2014 ballot was July 3, 2014.[2]
2012
The deadline for filing signatures for the November 2012 ballot was July 6, 2012.[3]
2010
The deadline for filing signatures for the November 2010 ballot was July 2, 2010.
Changes in restrictions on circulators
In 2008, HB 2082 was approved by the legislature and the courts. The bill, designed to lessen initiative fraud, placed significant new burdens on the state's initiative process, and a few provisions that made the process easier. Some of the changes for signature collection requirements included:[4]
- a prohibition against anyone convicted of a crime with the last five years being paid to collect signatures;
- a requirement that paid signature gatherers must register with the secretary of state and undergo training;
- a requirement that signers are must, themselves, fill in personal information, rather than allowing signature gatherers to do so for them;
- a requirement that all voter signatures from voters around the state are allowed to be attached to the same petition sheet, rather than on county-by-county sheets—a practice that frequently caused mistakes;
- a requirement that campaigns keep wage records and give them to state officials upon request in order to ensure that campaigns are complying with the state's ban on paying signature gatherers according to the number of signatures collected;
- an increase from 25 to 1,000 in the number of initial signatures required for each initiative version filed with state officials to receive a ballot title in order to stop ballot title shopping—the practice of filing multiple versions of a measure in order to pick the best ballot title result— which was a costly process for state lawyers;
- the allowance of electronic circulation of petitions by permitting initiative supporters to download a specialized form, sign it, and send it in to be counted as a signature.
Changes in signature requirements over time
In 1902, when Oregon voters approved the legislatively referred ballot measure authorizing initiative and referendum in the state, the number of signatures was tied to the number of votes cast for justice of the Oregon Supreme Court.
At that time, both initiated statutes and initiated constitutional amendments required eight percent of the vote cast for justice, and a referendum required five percent.
In 1954, in a popular vote, the Oregon Constitution was amended to increase to 10 percent the number of signatures required for a constitutional amendment. The current requirements (4 percent for a referendum, 6 percent for an initiated statute, and 8 percent for an initiated constitutional amendment) were established by a vote of the people in 1968.
See also
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Oregon
- Laws governing the initiative process in Oregon
- History of Initiative & Referendum in Oregon
- List of Oregon ballot measures
- States where signature requirements are based on votes cast for governor
External links
- Oregon signature requirements collated by the Citizens in Charge Foundation
Footnotes
- ↑ Oregon Gubernatorial Election Results
- ↑ Oregon Secretary of State, "2014 Elections Calendar," accessed December 27, 2013
- ↑ Ballotpedia staff writer, "Telephone correspondence with the Oregon secretary of state—elections division," January 21, 2011
- ↑ Law designed to reduce Oregon initiative petition fraud, mistakes, The Oregonian, Jan. 9, 2008
