The Oregon House of Representatives today overwhelmingly (52-8) passed HB 2414, which will allow any candidate for partisan office, who is nominated by multiple parties, to show the names of up to 3 nominating parties on the general election ballot. such as: "Peter Buckley: Democratic, Working Families" or "Vicki Berger: Republican, Independent".

The bill, which is supported by the Secretary of State, includes a provision that requires the Legislature to review the effects of the changes after the 2010 election. It came in response to a legal dispute between the previous Secretary of State and some of the state's minor political parties (Working Families, Independent). That suit asserts that current Oregon law requires the opportunity for multiple party labels to be printed.

"This is an important and reasonable clarification of current law. It protects the free association rights of candidates and political parties and gives voters information they need to make more a informed decision when voting," said State Representative Peter Buckley (D-Ashland), a chief co-sponsor of the bill.

Buckley received the nominations of both the Democratic and the Working Families parties in 2008 and is a proponent of a lawsuit to require the Secretary of State to print both nominations.

"We believe that the current statute requires these cross-nominations to be printed on the ballot, and we are very pleased to have the support of the Secretary of State and others in clarifying the existing statute. This will save the state money and time, and it's the right thing to do," said Linda Williams, Chair of the Independent Party of Oregon.

The bill now heads to the Oregon Senate.

"We met with the Senate Majority and Minority leaders before the session, and they indicated how important it is that this not be a partisan issue. They asked us to show support from the County Clerks, the Secretary of State, and the caucuses in both chambers. I think we've accomplished that," said Sal Peralta, the Independent Party's Secretary and lobbyist.

13 Senate co-sponsors have signed on to the legislation, including 8 Democrats and 5 Republicans.

BACKGROUND NOTES

- Oregon has allowed political parties to cross-nominate candidates during the entire history of the state.

- Prior to 1959, Oregon law required all party nominations to be printed on the ballot, not just one. A 1959 law limited each candidate to one party label on the ballot.

- The law was again changed in 1995 to restore the pre-1959 rules.

- Prior to 2008, Sylvester Pennoyer (Democratic Party, People's Party), who served as Governor from 1886 to 1894, was the only person to win statewide office as the candidate of a major party and minor party.