Friday, September 24, 2004

Oregon Measure 31.
Here is the title again: AMENDS CONSTITUTION: AUTHORIZES LAW PERMITTING POSTPONEMENT OF ELECTION FOR PARTICULAR PUBLIC OFFICE WHEN NOMINEE FOR OFFICE DIES.
Here's the text and explanation.

Ok this sounds really tame, like it's just a procedure change. The text of the bill says that there will be no financial hit on government if passed. But here's my question: why do we need to go through this at all? I don't get why it's necessary, or even why elections can't be postponed now. From what I've read in the text of the measure, if candidates vote for the dead guy, then the current office holder stays in office until a subsequent election anyway.
Most sites just quote the official explanation of the measure, saying something like "current law does not provide for postponement of elections due to the death of one of the candidates," but what does that mean really?

The Green Party seems to oppose it, although they don't say why.
Jackson County's Mail Tribune has an opinion (which starts talking about measure 38) but later endorses measures 31 and 32 as reasonable housekeeping measures.

RoguePundit has a post several days ago on this and spends considerable text on it. He thinks it is a good idea, but poorly written and narrow. The bill was written when local legislators read about Mel Carnahan, then Governor of Missouri, who died during his run for Senator. Legislators wondered what would happen in Oregon if a candidate died and crafted this bill. The bill just applies to state offices (Governor, Attrny gen, Sec of State, Senator, Rep) and only applies to major party candidates. Which is probably why the Green party opposes it.

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