Oregon's New Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade has now directed the Oregon Elections Division to implement a new administrative rule, which she says provides guidance to candidates on Oregon's recent controversial Measure 113. She states that the new rule clarifies that Measure 113 disqualifies legislators with 10 or more unexcused absences during the 2023 legislative session from running for legislative seats in the 2024 election. Griffin-Valade says that this interpretation is consistent with legal advice provided to the Secretary of State by the Oregon Department of Justice.

“It is clear voters intended Measure 113 to disqualify legislators from running for reelection if they had 10 or more unexcused absences in a legislative session,” said Secretary Griffin-Valade. “My decision honors the voters’ intent by enforcing the measure the way it was commonly understood when Oregonians added it to our state constitution.”

Measure 113 states that 10 or more unexcused absences “shall disqualify the member from holding office as a Senator or Representative for the term following the election after the member’s current term is completed.” Some have suggested this language means a Senator who accumulated disqualifying absences in 2023 would be able to run in 2024 but be prohibited from running in 2028.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

The Secretary says she found no suggestion prior to enactment – in the voters’ pamphlet, media, or otherwise – that the measure was understood or intended to allow absent legislators to serve an additional term after accumulating too many absences, and then be disqualified the term after that.

Griffin-Valade says that the voters intended the measure to prohibit legislators from holding the next term in office, and the Secretary has chosen to uphold the voters’ intent and apply Measure 113 to the 2024 election.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2023-08-08 15:43:55

Last Update: 2023-08-08 18:19:34