Oregon Public Broadcasting

It’s hard for politicians to say they made a mistake.  But the Oregon Senate did Wednesday.

Lawmakers there voted to overturn a four-year-old law that restricted who could nominate minor party candidates. Salem correspondent Chris Lehman reports.

Here’s how the law works.  If you vote in the Democratic or Republican primary, you can’t later sign a nominating petition to get a minor party or independent candidate on the ballot.  

Back in 2005, lawmakers argued it was a case of “one person, one vote.” But the law became a thorn in the side of minor parties in Oregon, who said it made it a lot harder to get their candidates onto the ballot.  

Now, legislators say the law is a mistake.  

Democratic Senator Vicki Walker was one of 13 Senators who approved the measure in 2005, and then voted to overturn it this year.

Vicki Walker:  “Sometimes when we pass things in this building, and we put them into effect, we realize they don’t really work.”

The Senate approved the bill 27-0.  It now heads over to the Oregon House.

Online:

Oregon Senate Bill 326

Oregon House Bill 2614 from 2005