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Oregonian Article on Independent Party of Oregon

Oregonian

Oregon's Independent Party on cusp of power, identity crisis

by Jeff Mapes, The Oregonian
June 2, 2010

Dan Meek, a longtime Ralph Nader fan and public utility activist, started the Independent Party of Oregon less than four years ago because he was upset that the Oregon Legislature made it harder to run for office if you didn't belong to a political party.

Since then, Meek's brainstorm has turned into one of the more attractive political brand names in the state. Republican and Democratic candidates alike are competing to add the "Independent" label to their ballot line, as they are allowed to do under a new "fusion voting" law.

The party's registration growth has been nothing short of explosive. It now has more than 54,000 registered voters, more than all five of the state's other minor parties combined. And if the party doubles in size, which is not implausible given its growth so far, it would gain major-party status, meaning that the state would conduct primary elections for the Independents, just as it does for the Democrats and Republicans.     Read more ...

Independent Party surpasses 41,000 members; leads all minor parties, nav's in early turnout percent

OCT 31 - The Independent Party of Oregon, the state's third-largest political party, is currently leading all other minor parties and non-affiliated voters in turnout during the first week of voting, according to a report released today by the Secretary of State.

42 percent of the party's 41,171 members have voted as of October 31. This compares favorably to 40 percent for the Pacific Greens, 36 percent for Libertarians, 23 percent for Working Families, 31 percent for Constitution, and 36 percent for non-affiliated voters.

Democrats lead all political parties in early returns with 55 percent. 48 percent of Republicans have turned in their ballots.

The Independent Party has added more than 30,000 members during the last year, making it the second-fastest growing political party in the state. Democrats lead all political parties in growth with 180,000 new members. Republicans are third with 13,000.

The Independent Party has fielded candidates for legislative and local races, and has cross-nominated candidates from both major political parties, including Ben Westlund, Kate Brown, Joel Haugen, Vicki Berger, and Jim Gilbert. The party is currently involved in legal action to have its cross-nominations printed on the Oregon ballot.

View the full party registration statistics on the Secretary of State's website: http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/votreg

"Minor Parties to Play Larger Role in Future Elections," says Eugene Register-Guard

Minor parties, nonaffiliated voters to play larger role in future elections

nonaffiliated and minor party voters may determine who wins in Oregon


By Mark Brown
March 28, 2008

Although Oregon's political leanings haven't made a major shift in the past four years, a small gust of party-affiliation change has blown across the state.

A decline in the overall percentage of voters registered as Republicans in the state over a four-year span has been nearly equaled by an increase in the percentage of Oregonians registered as nonaffiliated and minor party voters.

Independent Party "Growing at Brisk Pace," says Oregonian

The Oregonian January 22, 2008

Americans may have become increasingly disillusioned with politics, but one new political party in Oregon is growing at a brisk pace.

The Oregon Independent Party reported this week that it now has more than 10,000 registered voters. That's a drop in the bucket compared to the state's 753,212 registered Democrats and 684,285 registered Republicans, but still an impressive accomplishment for an organization that was first certified as a minor political party in January, 2007.