HONEST ELECTIONS - OREGON
(more news since "Vote Yes on Measure 107 (2020)" is available on the NEWS tab)
Good government groups file 3 initiative petitions to limit campaign contributions, more.
Press Release 12-7-21 from OR Honest Elections
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 7, 2021 PORTLAND, Oregon - Honest Elections Oregon, a coalition of pro-democracy groups and advocates, filed ballot initiatives to enhance the campaign finance system in Oregon, reduce the perception and reality of corruption, and empower more voices in Oregon’s elections.
These measures:
“I am honored to support the ballot campaign finance reform initiatives filed today. These measures can help to restore voters’ confidence in healthy democracy. Voters must know that our elections are fair and free of undue influence by powerful dark money at the expense of voters. We can accomplish this and restore trust in our political system.”
--Rebecca Gladstone, President, League of Women Voters of Oregon
“I am proud of the measures we have filed and the extensive process we embarked on to craft the best policies possible with both local and national experts. We hope in the coming months, during the ballot title review process, to continue building a big tent to support these measures and to continue to work with historically marginalized communities. We know that voters want to take big money out of politics. These initiatives could move Oregon from the Wild Wild West of campaign finance to leading the way with one the best programs in the nation.”
--Jason Kafoury, Honest Elections Oregon
Honest Elections Oregon worked successfully to pass campaign finance reforms in Multnomah County (2016) and the City of Portland (2018), proving not only that such policies are needed and popular but also that they work. The goal is to simply limit the corrosive impact money has had in Oregon politics and hold accountable those who attempt to subvert the will of democracy by buying elections.
The initiatives will start gathering qualifying signatures as soon as today.
December 7, 2021 PORTLAND, Oregon - Honest Elections Oregon, a coalition of pro-democracy groups and advocates, filed ballot initiatives to enhance the campaign finance system in Oregon, reduce the perception and reality of corruption, and empower more voices in Oregon’s elections.
These measures:
- include large campaign contribution limits to reduce outsized big money influence
- require political ads to transparently reveal their largest funders
- create a small donor matching program to make smaller contributions matter and improve opportunities for candidates from historically marginalized communities
“I am honored to support the ballot campaign finance reform initiatives filed today. These measures can help to restore voters’ confidence in healthy democracy. Voters must know that our elections are fair and free of undue influence by powerful dark money at the expense of voters. We can accomplish this and restore trust in our political system.”
--Rebecca Gladstone, President, League of Women Voters of Oregon
“I am proud of the measures we have filed and the extensive process we embarked on to craft the best policies possible with both local and national experts. We hope in the coming months, during the ballot title review process, to continue building a big tent to support these measures and to continue to work with historically marginalized communities. We know that voters want to take big money out of politics. These initiatives could move Oregon from the Wild Wild West of campaign finance to leading the way with one the best programs in the nation.”
--Jason Kafoury, Honest Elections Oregon
Honest Elections Oregon worked successfully to pass campaign finance reforms in Multnomah County (2016) and the City of Portland (2018), proving not only that such policies are needed and popular but also that they work. The goal is to simply limit the corrosive impact money has had in Oregon politics and hold accountable those who attempt to subvert the will of democracy by buying elections.
The initiatives will start gathering qualifying signatures as soon as today.
From the OPB story: Good government groups are pushing campaign finance limits in Oregon. They might have competition.
A coalition of good governance groups filed three potential ballot measures with the state on Monday that would shake up Oregon’s permissive system of funding campaigns. The group says it will decide on one to put forward to voters in 2022, once polling shows which is most popular.
While complex and differing in their specifics, each of the proposals would create new limits on what individuals, advocacy groups, labor organizations, corporations and political parties can contribute to candidates and causes.
The proposals also include requirements that political advertisements prominently display top donors, and that so-called “dark money” groups disclose their funding sources if they engage in campaigning.
One of the proposals would implement a system of public campaign financing, allowing candidates to accept small donations from individual donors and have that money multiplied by matching public funds. With public funding of up to $8 million a cycle for gubernatorial candidates — and far lower amounts for other offices —-- the system is designed to allow candidates to run competitive campaigns without focusing solely on big donors.
While complex and differing in their specifics, each of the proposals would create new limits on what individuals, advocacy groups, labor organizations, corporations and political parties can contribute to candidates and causes.
The proposals also include requirements that political advertisements prominently display top donors, and that so-called “dark money” groups disclose their funding sources if they engage in campaigning.
One of the proposals would implement a system of public campaign financing, allowing candidates to accept small donations from individual donors and have that money multiplied by matching public funds. With public funding of up to $8 million a cycle for gubernatorial candidates — and far lower amounts for other offices —-- the system is designed to allow candidates to run competitive campaigns without focusing solely on big donors.
PORTLAND, Ore. — A coalition of campaign-finance-reform-minded groups have filed three ballot initiatives with the secretary of state’s office that they want to put before Oregon voters next year.
Honest Elections Oregon says its initiatives will help reduce the “perception and reality of corruption” in campaigns, increase transparency and elevate more voices in elections.
The coalition’s push for voters to have a voice on campaign finance reform comes after the Legislature earlier this year failed to pass bills that would have limited contributions to campaigns and create a small donor program.
The three initiatives filed Monday would do those two things, as well as require political ads to be transparent about who is funding them.
“I am proud of the measures we have filed and the extensive process we embarked on to craft the best policies possible with both local and national experts," said Jason Kafoury with Honest Elections Oregon. "We hope in the coming months, during the ballot title review process, to continue building a big tent to support these measures and to continue to work with historically marginalized communities."
He added the initiatives "could move Oregon from the Wild Wild West of campaign finance to leading the way with one the best programs in the nation.”
Oregon is one of five states that doesn’t have any limits on campaign contributions.
Oregon voters in November 2020 approved Measure 107, which amended the state Constitution to allow limits to political contributions.
Read the text of the initiatives
The initiatives, as filed by Honest Elections, include things like limiting individual contributions to candidates running for statewide office to $2,000 per election cycle, limiting contributions from multicandidate committees to $2,000 per election cycle and limiting political party contributions to $50,000 per election cycle.
One of the initiatives also includes creating a public funding system for those running for state office and positions of judge and district attorney, where donations would be matched with public funds.
Honest Elections Oregon says its initiatives will help reduce the “perception and reality of corruption” in campaigns, increase transparency and elevate more voices in elections.
The coalition’s push for voters to have a voice on campaign finance reform comes after the Legislature earlier this year failed to pass bills that would have limited contributions to campaigns and create a small donor program.
The three initiatives filed Monday would do those two things, as well as require political ads to be transparent about who is funding them.
“I am proud of the measures we have filed and the extensive process we embarked on to craft the best policies possible with both local and national experts," said Jason Kafoury with Honest Elections Oregon. "We hope in the coming months, during the ballot title review process, to continue building a big tent to support these measures and to continue to work with historically marginalized communities."
He added the initiatives "could move Oregon from the Wild Wild West of campaign finance to leading the way with one the best programs in the nation.”
Oregon is one of five states that doesn’t have any limits on campaign contributions.
Oregon voters in November 2020 approved Measure 107, which amended the state Constitution to allow limits to political contributions.
Read the text of the initiatives
The initiatives, as filed by Honest Elections, include things like limiting individual contributions to candidates running for statewide office to $2,000 per election cycle, limiting contributions from multicandidate committees to $2,000 per election cycle and limiting political party contributions to $50,000 per election cycle.
One of the initiatives also includes creating a public funding system for those running for state office and positions of judge and district attorney, where donations would be matched with public funds.
Audio story From OPB 12-9-21 - OPB Politics NOw: The fight over campaign finance limits
Last year, Oregon voters changed the state Constitution to allow limits on how much donors can give to political campaigns. But now the progressive groups that pushed to rein in spending can’t agree on who and what those new rules should cover.
On this week’s episode of OPB Politics Now, we’ll look at why the debate over money is so hard and what new rules might cover.
On this week’s episode of OPB Politics Now, we’ll look at why the debate over money is so hard and what new rules might cover.
From Oregon Live: Oregon good governement groups file initiatives to cap campaign contributions, shed light on 'dark money'
Oregon voters could get a chance to decide whether to cap political donations and mandate transparency on who truly pays for political ads, under three proposed ballot initiatives filed this week.
The issues are hugely popular with voters, who overwhelmingly approved a state constitutional amendment in 2020 to explicitly allow campaign contribution limits and requirements that political ads identify the individuals or groups that paid for them. More than 1.7 million people voted for it, the most ever to support a ballot measure.
The issues are hugely popular with voters, who overwhelmingly approved a state constitutional amendment in 2020 to explicitly allow campaign contribution limits and requirements that political ads identify the individuals or groups that paid for them. More than 1.7 million people voted for it, the most ever to support a ballot measure.
From Eugene Weekly, 12/23/21 - What Happened To Campaign Finance Reform?
The voters of Oregon want campaign finance limits so much that 78 percent voted to amend the state Constitution last year to expressly allow them (Measure 107). So where are they?
The Legislature squandered the 2021 legislative session without producing any limits. That’s partly because our current legislators were elected with more corporate money than in any other state in the U.S. (averaging $476,000 each in 2018).
The 2018 race for governor raised a record $40 million, mostly from corporations, unions and wealthy donors like Phil Knight. Now we’re set to see another record-breaking gubernatorial race next year. Here in Eugene we saw the realtors donate an astounding $35,000 to try to place one candidate on the City Council. We can’t allow our political system to be up for sale.
As we go into the 2022 short legislative session, there are still no clear plans to limit campaign donations. That’s why other actions are needed. Eugene and Lane County could enact their own campaign finance limits, like Portland and Multnomah County have with $500 donation limits, but our local elected officials haven’t acted so far.
Three state-wide ballot initiatives have been filed by the good-government group Honest Elections Oregon. All three would provide comprehensive limits for state and local races. One includes a partial public funding option. If these make it to the ballot they will win in a landslide, like every other time voters have approved these measures in the past.
Eben Fodor
Eugene
The Legislature squandered the 2021 legislative session without producing any limits. That’s partly because our current legislators were elected with more corporate money than in any other state in the U.S. (averaging $476,000 each in 2018).
The 2018 race for governor raised a record $40 million, mostly from corporations, unions and wealthy donors like Phil Knight. Now we’re set to see another record-breaking gubernatorial race next year. Here in Eugene we saw the realtors donate an astounding $35,000 to try to place one candidate on the City Council. We can’t allow our political system to be up for sale.
As we go into the 2022 short legislative session, there are still no clear plans to limit campaign donations. That’s why other actions are needed. Eugene and Lane County could enact their own campaign finance limits, like Portland and Multnomah County have with $500 donation limits, but our local elected officials haven’t acted so far.
Three state-wide ballot initiatives have been filed by the good-government group Honest Elections Oregon. All three would provide comprehensive limits for state and local races. One includes a partial public funding option. If these make it to the ballot they will win in a landslide, like every other time voters have approved these measures in the past.
Eben Fodor
Eugene
From Oregonian/Oregon Live 12/22/21: Oregon unions propose campaign finance limits that would still allow big donations - - from Unions
By Rob Davis | The Oregonian/OregonLive After private negotiations to control political donations broke down, labor unions have filed three dueling campaign finance initiative petitions for the 2022 ballot that are far looser than measures already proposed by good government groups.
While the two camps agree that political money needs to be controlled in Oregon, one of five states with no caps on campaign donations, they have unresolved differences.
The union proposals, submitted to Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan last week, would still allow unions and other member-based organizations to make large donations to political campaigns. OPB first reported the proposals’ submission.
A one-page initiative proposed by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555, which represents more than 28,000 grocery store and non-food retail workers, would allow massive donations to state leaders.
How? The UFCW plan, Initiative Petition 48, would permit member-based organizations to donate $100 per member. A group like AARP, which has 38 million members nationwide, could in theory make a $3.8 billion donation under the UFCW plan.
The other two proposals from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents more than 30,000 public employees in Oregon, are similar to the plans from good government groups. But they would allow labor unions, which give more to Democratic candidates than Republicans, to make larger donations than the good government groups propose. The labor groups didn’t respond to requests for comment.
The AFSCME proposals, initiative petitions 46 and 47, would allow unions to give more than $1 million apiece to candidates through so-called small donor committees. They would permit donations of $50 per member living or working in Oregon; some Oregon labor groups have as many as 40,000 members. Donations from individuals would be capped at $2,000 for statewide offices, like governor, and $1,000 for legislators, judges and district attorneys.
Good government groups, including Honest Elections Oregon and the League of Women Voters, have proposed lower limits on small donor committees, with restrictions on both how much they could collect from members and how much they could give to any candidate.
The fight is shaping up a year after voters overwhelmingly approved Measure 107, which amended the state constitution to explicitly make donation limits legal. Lawmakers referred the measure to the ballot in the wake of The Oregonian/OregonLive’s award-winning 2019 series “Polluted by Money,” which showed that on a per capita basis, corporate interests gave more money to Oregon lawmakers over a decade than in any state in the country.
Oregon’s state elections have become some of the nation’s costliest. The 2018 governor’s race broke records, with Democrat Kate Brown and Republican Knute Buehler raising nearly $40 million. But even competitive races for two-year House seats can cost $1 million.
The petitions could form the basis for continued negotiations with the good government groups or for dueling proposals on the ballot next year.
To qualify for the ballot, each petition needs 112,020 signatures.
— Rob Davis
rdavis@oregonian.com
503.294.7657; @robwdavis
While the two camps agree that political money needs to be controlled in Oregon, one of five states with no caps on campaign donations, they have unresolved differences.
The union proposals, submitted to Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan last week, would still allow unions and other member-based organizations to make large donations to political campaigns. OPB first reported the proposals’ submission.
A one-page initiative proposed by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555, which represents more than 28,000 grocery store and non-food retail workers, would allow massive donations to state leaders.
How? The UFCW plan, Initiative Petition 48, would permit member-based organizations to donate $100 per member. A group like AARP, which has 38 million members nationwide, could in theory make a $3.8 billion donation under the UFCW plan.
The other two proposals from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents more than 30,000 public employees in Oregon, are similar to the plans from good government groups. But they would allow labor unions, which give more to Democratic candidates than Republicans, to make larger donations than the good government groups propose. The labor groups didn’t respond to requests for comment.
The AFSCME proposals, initiative petitions 46 and 47, would allow unions to give more than $1 million apiece to candidates through so-called small donor committees. They would permit donations of $50 per member living or working in Oregon; some Oregon labor groups have as many as 40,000 members. Donations from individuals would be capped at $2,000 for statewide offices, like governor, and $1,000 for legislators, judges and district attorneys.
Good government groups, including Honest Elections Oregon and the League of Women Voters, have proposed lower limits on small donor committees, with restrictions on both how much they could collect from members and how much they could give to any candidate.
The fight is shaping up a year after voters overwhelmingly approved Measure 107, which amended the state constitution to explicitly make donation limits legal. Lawmakers referred the measure to the ballot in the wake of The Oregonian/OregonLive’s award-winning 2019 series “Polluted by Money,” which showed that on a per capita basis, corporate interests gave more money to Oregon lawmakers over a decade than in any state in the country.
Oregon’s state elections have become some of the nation’s costliest. The 2018 governor’s race broke records, with Democrat Kate Brown and Republican Knute Buehler raising nearly $40 million. But even competitive races for two-year House seats can cost $1 million.
The petitions could form the basis for continued negotiations with the good government groups or for dueling proposals on the ballot next year.
To qualify for the ballot, each petition needs 112,020 signatures.
— Rob Davis
rdavis@oregonian.com
503.294.7657; @robwdavis
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Columbia County Spotlight August 4, 2021
Anna Del Savio Campaign finance reform proposed in Columbia CountyA group of Columbia County residents aim to get a campaign finance reform bill on the ballot. Text of the measure here This effort is being organized by the Columbia County chapter of the OR Progressive Party. Contact Shana Cavanaugh for further information: scavanaugh@movingforwardcolumbiacounty.com 
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WOW!
OR Supreme Court allows limits on campaign contributions.
WOW!
Read more on the NEWS Page.
Vote Yes on Measure 107 (2020)
Vote YES on Measure 107 (2020) to ensure that Oregon voters can adopt (1) limits on campaign contributions and spending and (2) requirements that politcal ads name their largest funders, including corporations.
For info on the measure: Yes on Fair and Honest Elections
Read the amazing Oregonian Editorial (June 9. 2019) supporting our efforts.
