This piece appeared on the OPB Radio show "Oregon Territory"

Fusion voting used to be legal in Oregon-but that was a hundred years ago. Now there's a movement to bring fusion voting back.

Fusion voting allows more than one party to nominate the same candidate. Votes from different parties are then combined for that candidate's total number of votes.

Under Oregon's current election laws, candidates are nominated by their own parties in primary elections. The primary election winners than face off in a general election.

Proponents of fusion voting say the current system creates a system where it's virtually impossible for minor party candidates to win elections. They say fusion voting would force candidates to focus on the issues rather than personalities.

A bill to allow candidates to accept the nomination of more than one party is currently under consideration in the Oregon Legislature.

This week, we're exploring that bill and other details of fusion voting in Oregon.

Click here to listen or read the transcript