Oregon open primary initiative would let all participate

The Oregon Legislature, dominated as it is by the two major parties, often has been a burial ground for efforts to change the dynamics of the parties’ clout.

The initiative process is a more open pathway, the more so since there are more non-aligned voters in Oregon than there are either Republicans or Democrats, not to mention the sizable number in minor parties. And those many non-major party voters may jump at the chance to take a meaningful role in an important part of the process of selecting governmental leaders which until now has been closed to them.

Not only that: The political environment is such that Oregon Democrats now might find it makes sense for them to go along with it as well.

The core idea, unveiled this month in its latest form, is simple: Allow everyone to vote in any party’s primary elections, as opposed to people who are registered only for that party.

The proponents are offering two measures, one a proposed constitutional amendment and the other an initiative to change election law.

The amendment sets out the basic plan: “No voter shall be denied the right to vote solely because of the voter’s non-affiliation with a political party in any election funded by the state or its public jurisdictions. In primary elections, all candidates shall be listed on a single ballot, regardless of their party affiliations, allowing all eligible voters to vote for the candidates of their choice for: United States senator, representative in Congress, Governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, attorney general, state senator and state representative and any other public office so designated by law.”

The initiative also lays out some of the specifics. One part of the measure could be controversial in some places: It provides that in the primary election, the top two vote-getters (of whatever party, or none) would advance to the general election.

Primary elections are no small deal. In many parts of Oregon (and some would argue, even in statewide races) the decisions of who will hold elective office is effectively settled in the primary. Most legislative districts in Multnomah County, for example, are unlikely to elect in November anyone who is not a Democratic nominee, and the same is true for Republicans in most places east of the Cascades.

Those with political memory will recall that in last year’s general election Oregon voters rejected a statewide ranked-choice plan, 42.3% to 57.7%. But that was a complex proposal, and it wasn’t clear that ranked choice was specifically the main reason it failed. And Oregon voters have been known to reverse themselves on ballot concepts before when details change, as the subjects of same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization have shown.

The new measures are being backed by prominent names from three distinct sectors — former Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski, former Republican state Rep. Cheri Helt of Bend and Independent Party of Oregon Co-Chair Andrew Kaza.

Kulongoski said, “When this is on the ballot, half of the people in the state will be neither Democrats or Republican registered. And I think that the party should have to make an appeal to those independents as to why they think their candidate is the best one.”

Nonaligned registration is the top choice in 21 of Oregon’s 36 counties — in Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Deschutes, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lincoln, Linn, Malheur, Marion, Morrow, Polk, Tillamook, Umatilla, Wasco, Washington and Yamhill.

Five of the six U.S. House districts have non-aligned as the top choice, the sole exception being the overwhelmingly Democratic Portland-based 3rd district.

Beyond that, there are at least a couple of compelling reasons Democrats might be interested in joining this open-primary effort.

One is as pushback against the vote-restrictive policies of the Trump administration and many Republican officeholders in other states: The new proposals speak to openness. Republicans possibly could benefit from this too but because of their policies on voting rights they’re less well positioned for it.

Beyond that, as a matter of political tactics, Democratic support of an open primary plan would tend to align Democrats more with the recently burgeoning non-aligned and independent voting groups. In national popularity polling, the Democratic Party has been scoring terribly in recent years. Support of open primaries could be a move in the direction of people who have been drifting away.

If these ballot issues (which still face an extensive petition challenge) can pick up additional support from Democrats and some non-major party voters tired of sitting out a key part of the election process, this one may have a better chance for passage than last year’s ranked choice.

Randy Stapilus has researched and written about Northwest politics and issues since 1976 for a long list of newspapers and other publications. A former newspaper reporter and editor, and more recently an author and book publisher, he lives in Carlton.

oregoncapitalchronicle.com