Oregon Initiative Requirements and Definitions

Oregon Initiative Requirements

• To obtain a vote on a statutory law, proponents must gather signatures from registered voters totaling 6 percent of all votes cast for governor in the last election. In 1998, 1,104,134 votes were cast for governor, so 66,248 signatures are required to make the 2000 ballot.

• To obtain a vote on a constitutional change, proponents must gather signatures from registered voters totaling 8 percent of all votes cast in the last election for governor. That would mean 88,331 signatures.

• Referenda (see definitions, below) require proponents to gather signatures from registered voters totaling 4 percent of all votes cast in the last election for governor. Currently that is 44,165 signatures.

• The filing deadline for signature-gatherers will be in July 2000.

Definitions

• Initiative: The method by which voters approve or reject statutory or constitutional laws by putting measures to a popular vote after gathering a certain number of signatures.

• Referendum: The method by which voters can reject (or endorse) statutory or constitutional laws passed by the legislature. In Oregon, referendum proponents have 90 days after the end of a legislative session to get valid signatures equal to 4 percent of all votes cast in the last election for governor.

• Referral: The method by which the legislature can bypass a governor's veto. A majority of the 90-member legislature (60 representatives and 30 senators) can refer new laws or constitutional amendments to the voters without the governor's approval.

History

Oregon established its initiative and referendum system in 1902 as a result of a campaign led by William S. U'Ren and the Direct Legislation League. Oregon was the third state to establish the initiative process, after South Dakota in 1898 and Utah in 1900. As of 1996, there are 23 states with some type of initiative system. From 1902 to 1995, Oregon voters approved 95 of 272 initiatives, 203 of 358 legislative referrals and 20 of 64 referenda.