Oregon Legal Research Blog
State laws that govern Oregon political parties. (Federal law also governs political party campaign finance and related activities, but that is a subject for bloggers and scholars more educated and intrepid than I.)
1) Oregon Constitution (Oregon Blue Book)
Important note: You can also link to the Oregon Constitution from the Legislature’s website, but please make sure you are looking at the most recent version. Remember that the official, full version of the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS), including any Oregon Constitutional amendments, is updated only at the end of the long-session year. For example, the 2017 Oregon legislative session ended in July 2017, but the 2017 ORS will not be published online or in print until early 2018. It will include all legislation in force through 2017, from regular and special sessions and any Constitutional or citizen measures approved by voters. (You can still read the laws that were passed in “Oregon Laws,” which is where the session laws are published. Where you find those online probably deserves its own blog post.)
The Oregon Secretary of State, Elections Division has an Election Law Summary that is quite helpful.
2) Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS): For example: 2015 ORS Chapter 248
“ORS 248.005, 248.011; Political Party Representation and Enforcement of Political Party Rules
Each political party by rule is to insure the widest and fairest representation of party members in the party organization and activities. The Secretary of State, county clerk or other election officials do not have jurisdiction to enforce this requirement, or any other rule adopted by a political party.”
3) Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR):
2017 Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR): Elections Division – Chapter 165
E.g. “Division 10
CANDIDATES AND POLITICAL PARTIES
165-010-0005 Designating the Candidate’s Manual, Minor Political Party Manual and Forms….
(1) The Secretary of State designates the State Candidate’s Manual revised 01/2016 and associated forms as the procedures and forms to be used by candidates filing and running for a federal or state office as that term is defined in ORS 249.002(10).
(2) The Secretary of State designates the County, City and District Candidate’s Manual and associated forms as the procedures and forms to be used by candidates filing and running for elected office in a county, city or district.
(3) The Secretary of State designates the Political Party Manual revised 01/2016 and associated forms as the procedures and forms to be used to form a minor political party and nominate candidates for elective office. This manual also includes information on qualifying as a major political party and a party’s obligation to file organizational documents.
[Publications: Publications referenced are available from the agency.]
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 246.120, 246.150 & 249.009
Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 246.120, 246.150 & 249.009
History:….”
If you want to know more about these Administrative Rules, contact the Rules Coordinator, who will be listed on the State Agency Rules Coordinator Contact List. (Click on Expand All and look for Chapter 165.)
You can also link to the ORS and the OAR from the Secretary of State’s “Laws, Rules, Restrictions and Statistics” webpage.
Note: This series began on December 17, 2017. You can also link to these posts by clicking on the following tag: Oregon Political Parties
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