Tell your lawmakers: Support Minor Party Parity

One of our biggest priorities this short session is passing HB 4044, Parity for Minor Parties. Since we passed the Motor Voter Act, we have seen an incredible increase in registered voters and turnout. But Oregon's laws about how parties qualify for the ballot haven't been updated since this exponential increase in voters - it's time for the legislature to pass this simple fix and ensure equitable access to the ballot line for minor parties.

Under current Oregon law, minor parties can maintain their party status one of two ways: running a statewide candidate who receives votes equivalent to 1% of the total votes cast in the previous election, or maintaining one half of 1% of all registered voters in the state. Adjusting the threshold requirement from one half to one quarter of 1% would account for the influx in automatically registered voters and ensure that minor parties are not impacted by the future increases.

HB 4044 ensures an equitable and attainable number can be met, as was originally intended, and that all parties in Oregon have the opportunity to run candidates based on values, goals and timing. But this bill has been waiting in the House Committee on Rules with little action taken, and legislators need to know that this is a priority.

We need Speaker Rayfield to do everything in his power to get this bill across the finish line - will you contact the Speaker and ask him to call for a vote?