Oregon would use shared primaries, with parties allowed to opt out

Covered candidates would share a primary ballot regardless of party affiliation. The two receiving the most votes would be nominated for the general election. Covered offices would include Congress, governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, attorney general, and state legislators. Local governing bodies could designate other public offices. A party could nominate candidates separately if its registered members have a fair and open chance to participate. Its members could not vote in the shared primary. A party that opts out could not receive public money for its separate nomination process. Candidates could also reach the general election ballot by collecting the signatures required by law. Presidential primaries would follow separate party eligibility rules. The Secretary of State would send eligible voters presidential primary ballots without requiring a separate request. These rules would apply to elections on or after March 1, 2027, including candidate filings made earlier for those elections.

County clerks would print accepted party endorsements beside covered candidates’ names on primary and general election ballots. These rules would cover candidates for offices using the shared-primary system and officially qualified major and minor parties. Candidates would have to accept and report endorsements no later than 45 days before the primary or 55 days before the general election. Parties would have to file endorsement rules with the Secretary of State and adopt and publish them at least 180 days before the election. The rules would have to give interested registered party members a fair and open chance to participate. Parties could endorse multiple candidates for one office. These provisions would operate starting March 1, 2027.

Officials could appoint otherwise eligible people to vacant covered offices regardless of party affiliation. Appointments would cover shared-primary offices. The nominee death rules would cover governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, attorney general, and state legislators. For legislative appointments, parties that endorsed the departing lawmaker in the previous general election would nominate possible replacements. Primary endorsements would count if there were no general election endorsements. A vacant primary nomination would go to the next-highest vote getter only if that person received at least one percent of votes cast for candidates for that office. If the only nominee for a covered state office died before the 47th day before the general election, officials would hold a special election instead. If that nominee died after the 47th day before the election, voting would proceed with the nominee’s name on the ballot. A win by the deceased nominee would trigger the process for filling that office’s vacancy. The rules would operate March 1, 2027. Nomination replacements would apply after the primary and before the 61st day before the general election. Term-time vacancy rules would cover terms won in elections on or after March 1, 2027.

Eligible voters could run for covered offices regardless of party affiliation. Minor parties would have to meet a registered membership threshold to keep their status. The candidacy rule would cover shared-primary offices and offices designated nonpartisan, where candidates run without party nominations. The earlier filing deadline would cover incumbent public officeholders. Incumbents would have to file candidacy papers or withdraw seven days before the corresponding deadline for nonincumbent candidates for that office. Minor parties would need registered membership equal to at least one-tenth of one percent of all registered Oregon voters during the required period. A minor party that failed the membership test would lose its status on the 90th day before the next general election. Minor parties would have to give registered members reasonable notice of nominating conventions, including their time and place, no later than 10 days before the convention. These provisions would operate March 1, 2027. After each general election, minor parties would need to meet the membership test at some point from the next primary through the 90th day before the next general election.

The Secretary of State would reimburse counties for necessary expenses their election clerks incur in administering election laws. The provision would cover counties’ necessary election administration expenses. County governing bodies would approve necessary expenses, and counties would pay them from their treasuries. The provision does not state a reimbursement deadline. The reimbursement provision would operate starting March 1, 2027.