Title 23, Elections

(1) If a candidate, political committee or petition committee under ORS 260.057 or 260.118 makes an expenditure that must be reported as both an in-kind contribution and an expenditure by the candidate, political committee or petition committee for whose benefit the expenditure w…

(1)(a) A candidate or a treasurer of a political committee who expects neither the aggregate contributions to be received nor the aggregate expenditures to be made by or on behalf of the candidate or political committee to exceed $5,000 in total amount during the calendar year sh…

(1) The chief petitioners of an initiative, referendum or recall petition shall appoint a treasurer. The treasurer shall be an elector of this state. Contributions must be received and expenditures made by or through the treasurer. (2) The treasurer shall file a statement of orga…

(1) The Secretary of State may adopt rules for the manner of determining and reporting expenditures and contributions under this chapter, including but not limited to rules for allocation of contributions and expenditures and for determination of fair market value of contribution…

(1) A county or city may adopt charter provisions or ordinances that: (a) Require the filing of electronic or paper statements of contributions received and expenditures made that are in addition to the statements required to be filed under this chapter by candidates for nominati…

The Secretary of State by rule shall: (1) Prescribe a uniform system for accounts required by ORS 260.055. (2) Prescribe forms for statements and other information required under this chapter to be filed with filing officers, and furnish those forms to persons required to file th…

(1) A filing officer shall inspect each statement filed under ORS 260.057, 260.083, 260.112 or 260.118 not later than the 10th business day after the filing deadline or the 10th business day after the statement is filed, whichever is later. (2) A filing officer immediately shall …

(1) For statements filed during each calendar year, each filing officer shall examine each statement filed with the filing officer under ORS 260.044, 260.057, 260.083, 260.112 or 260.118 (6) to determine whether the statement is sufficient. The filing officer shall examine statem…

(1) The Secretary of State, or the Attorney General acting under ORS 260.345, may issue subpoenas to compel the production of records, documents, books, papers, memoranda or other information necessary to determine compliance with the provisions of this chapter. (2) If a person f…

(1) Upon the petition of the Secretary of State or an elector, or of any other filing officer with whom a statement is required to be filed, the circuit court for the county in which the principal office of the filing officer is located may compel a candidate, treasurer or person…

(1) The Secretary of State may impose a civil penalty as provided in this section, in addition to any other penalty that may be imposed, for: (a) Failure to file a statement or certificate required to be filed under ORS 260.044, 260.057, 260.076, 260.078, 260.083, 260.112 or 260.…

(1) A filing officer having reason to believe that a violation of an election law or rule for which a civil penalty may be imposed under ORS 260.232 has occurred shall proceed promptly as though the officer had received a complaint under ORS 260.345 and, not later than two years …

(1) Despite delay in the filing of statements relating to a candidate’s nomination required to be filed under ORS 260.057, or in the filing of a certificate described in ORS 260.112 in lieu of a statement required under ORS 260.057, prior to the nominating election, the candidate…

The Secretary of State, county clerk or chief city elections officer may not grant a certificate of election or certificate of nomination to any candidate until the candidate has filed the statements relating to the election that the candidate is required to file under ORS 260.05…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, a filing officer shall preserve each statement filed with the officer under ORS 260.057, 260.076, 260.083, 260.112 or 260.118, or an accurate copy of it, for at least six calendar years. (2) The Secretary of State shall ma…

(1) As used in this section, “accounts” means: (a) Any contract entered into by a chief petitioner of an initiative or referendum petition relating to a state measure and any person for purposes of obtaining signatures on the initiative or referendum petition or on a prospective …

(1) The Secretary of State shall hire a full-time employee to provide voter education, support and outreach regarding Oregon’s campaign finance laws, including the laws regarding political contributions set forth in ORS 260.006 to 260.021 and 260.416. (2) The Secretary of State s…

(1) Except as otherwise provided by a local provision, a communication in support of or in opposition to a clearly identified candidate must state the name of the persons that paid for the communication. (2) For the purpose of complying with subsection (1) of this section: (a) Ex…

(1) As used in this section: (a)(A) “Campaign communication” means a communication in support of or in opposition to a clearly identified candidate or measure, as defined in ORS 260.005 (10)(c). (B) Notwithstanding ORS 260.005 (10)(c)(B)(i), a campaign communication may involve a…

The Secretary of State may adopt rules necessary to implement ORS 260.268. [2024 c.62 §4] Note: 260.269 was enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but was not added to or made a part of ORS chapter 260 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revis…

(1) The Secretary of State, at the expense of the state, shall make available to the other filing officers copies of this chapter. (2) A filing officer shall make available a copy of this chapter to each candidate or person whom the officer has reason to believe is required to fi…

(1) Any elector may file with any filing officer a written complaint alleging that a violation of an election law or rule adopted by the Secretary of State under ORS chapters 246 to 260 has occurred and stating the reason for believing that the violation occurred and any evidence…

A proceeding for violation of an election law shall be advanced on the docket of the court upon request of any party. However, the court may postpone or continue the trial if justice demands. As a condition of a continuance or postponement the court may impose costs. No petition …

If, after a plea of guilty by or verdict of guilty against a person nominated or elected to a public office in a criminal prosecution of the person for violation of an election law in regard to either the person’s nomination or election, the court determines that the violation wa…

(1) A person nominated or elected to public office, and whose nomination or election has been annulled for violation of an election law, shall not serve, during the term of the office, in any office or vacancy in any office or position of trust, honor or emolument, whether electe…

For the purpose of investigating violations of section 1b, Article IV of the Oregon Constitution, the Secretary of State, Attorney General and Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries may cooperate and share information as considered necessary by the secretary, Attorney…

(1) A person may not directly or indirectly reimburse a person for making a contribution or donation, or make a contribution or donation in any name other than that of the person that in truth provides the contribution or donation, to: (a) Any other person, relating to a nominati…

(1)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, amounts received as contributions by a candidate, the principal campaign committee of a candidate or the principal campaign committee of a holder of public office may be: (A) Used to defray any expenses incurred in co…

A candidate or principal campaign committee of a candidate may not use amounts received as contributions by the candidate or committee to make an expenditure to or on behalf of the candidate in consideration for the rendering of professional services by the candidate. [2005 c.809…

(1) In addition to the requirements set forth in ORS 260.407, a political committee or petition committee may not provide any form of consideration in connection with a nondisclosure agreement relating to workplace harassment. (2) As used in this section: (a) “Consideration in co…

(1) A person may not, directly or indirectly: (a) Require an employee or contractor to make a contribution or independent expenditure to support or oppose any candidate; or (b) Provide or promise any benefit or impose or threaten any detriment due to a decision by an employee or …

No person shall accept employment with the understanding or agreement, express or implied, that the person will contribute any of the compensation to be received because of the employment to or on behalf of a candidate or political committee in support of the nomination or electi…

(1) A person may not attempt to, or actually, coerce, command or require a public employee to: (a) Influence or give money, service or other thing of value to promote or oppose any political committee; (b) Promote or oppose the appointment, nomination or election of a person to a…

(1) No person shall cause to be written, printed, published, posted, communicated or circulated, including by electronic or telephonic means, any letter, circular, bill, placard, poster, photograph or other publication, or cause any advertisement to be placed in a publication, or…

(1) A person may not cause to be written, printed, published, posted, communicated or circulated, including by electronic or telephonic means, any letter, circular, bill, placard, poster, photograph or other publication, or cause any advertisement to be placed in a publication, o…

(1) No person shall describe a candidate as the incumbent in the office to which the candidate seeks nomination or election in any material, statement or publication supporting the election of the candidate, with knowledge or with reckless disregard that the description is a fals…

(1) A person attempting to obtain signatures on, or causing to be circulated, a petition or prospective petition that is being circulated in accordance with the laws of this state may not knowingly make any false statement regarding the contents, meaning or effect of the petition…

The Secretary of State may not include in a count under ORS 250.045 (3) or 250.105 or ORS chapter 249 for purposes of determining whether an initiative, referendum or recall petition or a prospective petition for a state measure to be initiated contains the required number of sig…

(1) It is unlawful to offer, pay or provide money or other valuable consideration to another person to sign or refrain from signing an initiative, referendum or recall petition, and for the other person to accept or agree to accept money or other valuable consideration for signin…

(1)(a) If a chief petitioner of a statewide initiative or referendum petition has knowledge of a violation of any provision of Oregon Revised Statutes, of any rule adopted by the Secretary of State under ORS chapters 246 to 260 related to the circulation of a statewide initiative…

(1) As used in this section: (a) “Contractor” means a person who contracts on predetermined terms with a chief petitioner, or a person acting on behalf of a chief petitioner, of an initiative or referendum petition or a prospective petition for a state measure to be initiated for…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, a person other than the person who signed the signature sheet of an initiative, referendum, recall or candidate nominating petition, a prospective petition for a state measure to be initiated or a certificate of nomination…

A person may not pay or receive money or another thing of value based on the number of: (1) Signatures a person obtains for purposes of nominating a candidate for elective public office; or (2) Signed voter registration cards a person collects. [2007 c.314 §2]

No person, for any consideration, shall: (1) Offer, propose, threaten or attempt to sell, hinder or delay any part of an initiative, referendum or recall petition. (2) Offer, propose or threaten to desist from beginning, promoting, circulating, or soliciting signatures to, any in…

(1) No candidate shall make or become party to a bet of anything of pecuniary value on any event or contingency relating to a pending election. No candidate shall provide money or other thing of value to be used by any person in betting upon the results of a pending election. (2)…

(1) No person shall: (a) Tamper with or injure or attempt to injure any voting machine or vote tally system to be used or being used in an election. (b) Tamper with any voting machine or vote tally system that has been used in an election except in performance of election duties.…