The League of Women Voters of Oregon Education Fund publishes the Voters’ Guide. We work hard to make this guide as informative, impartial, and nonpartisan as possible. We do not support or oppose any political party or candidate. No candidates or interest groups pay us to publish information about them or their views.

This information is available to you for free, thanks to the volunteer efforts of League members and the support of generous individuals, foundations, and businesses. We are grateful to all who contributed to this effort to help Oregonians become informed and active voters.

About this Election
In the May 2008 Primary Election, all registered voters will choose among candidates for federal, statewide, legislative, and some local positions, and will vote for or against 3 state ballot measures, as well as local measures. This guide provides information about the candidates for federal and statewide offices and about the statewide ballot measures. This year voters will select their U.S. Senators, U.S. Representatives, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Attorney General, Supreme Court Judges, Court of Appeals Judges, and Oregon Tax Court Judge. Information on Oregon’s political parties is on page 6 of this guide. The ballot measures are part of the initiative and referendum process, which is a system of direct government by the people. An initiative allows citizens to directly propose a law or a constitutional amendment to be voted upon by the electorate. See page 23 for how the League of Women Voters Education Fund researched and wrote reports on the ballot measures.

Are you registered?
To vote in the May 20th Primary Election you must register by April 29th. You would do this if you are a new voter, or have changed party affiliation. There are many ways to do it:

Register in person at a county election office, DMV, or voter registration event.

Mail in an Oregon Voter Registration card which you can pick up at a library or post office, or print the card from www.oregonvotes.org.

New laws require that you must provide acceptable ID to register to vote in Oregon. This means you must provide your Oregon driver’s license or ID number, if you have one. If you do not have an Oregon driver’s license or ID number, you must give the last four numbers of your Social Security number. If you do not have either of these and you are registering by mail, you must mail in a copy of one of the following: valid photo ID, paycheck stub, utility bill, bank statement, government document, or proof of eligibility under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) or the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act (VAEH).

Who may register? You may register if you are an Oregon resident, US citizen, and at least 17 years old. ( this is a change from needing to be 18 years of age to register but persons need to be 18 on or before election day to vote) You must fill out a new registration card if you move, change your name, or want to change your party. When you register to vote, you may choose a political party from this list: • Constitution • Democratic • Independent • Libertarian • Pacific Green • Republican • Socialist • Working Families of Oregon.

Or you may choose instead “Not a member of a party.”

Voting in the Primary Election: Major political parties (Democratic and Republican) choose who they want to run for office by having a Primary Election. The Primary Election is held every even-numbered year on the third Tuesday in May.

If you are registered as a member of a major political party, you can vote in that party’s Primary Election. Sometimes a major political party will open its Primary Election to voters who are not registered as a member of any political party (nonaffiliated voters). Non-affiliated voters will be notified by mail if a party opens its Primary Election. If neither major political party opens its Primary Election, all nonaffiliated voters will automatically receive a ballot with all measures and nonpartisan contests ( for examples: judges, district attorneys).

For more information visit www.LWVOR.org or www.oregonvotes.org.

Remember to...
Vote by Mail
Ballots will be mailed to most registered voters May 2. Fill out your ballot and sign the return envelope. Stamp and mail your ballot in time for it to arrive at your county election office by May20th, Election Day, or drop it off at the election office or a designated site by 8 p.m. on May 20th. Postmarks do not count.

IMPORTANT DATES
April 29 Last day for new voters to register.

May 2 Ballots mailed to voters.

May 20 ELECTION DAY

Mail your ballot in time for it to arrive at your county election office by Election Day, or drop it off at the election office or a designated site by 8 p.m.

Postmarks do not count.

The Candidate Questionnaires
Each candidate received a questionnaire from the League of Women Voters of Oregon Education Fund asking the questions printed in this guide. The questions were prepared by members of the League. In keeping with our tradition, we have published the candidates’ exact answers word for word, with no correction for grammar and spelling. We allowed 75 words for each answer. As in the past, a few candidates wrote more than the number of words allowed, and we have cut their answers after the 75th word, so that every candidate has exactly the same opportunity to express his/her views. In order to distribute this Voters’ Guide to voters in a timely way, we gave candidates a deadline to return their questionnaires. Every effort was made to personally contact candidates from whom no replies were received before the deadline.

How We Researched the Ballot Measures
League of Women Voters members researched and wrote the reports on the ballot measures. They used information from the Explanatory Statement Committees and interviewed other supporters and opponents of each measure. They obtained information from state agencies that administer current laws that would be changed; pro, con, and government agency websites; and other reports. Supporters, opponents, and neutral experts reviewed the League reports.

League researchers and editors tried to verify all the factual information in our explanations and in the pro and con argument sections. We did not include arguments from the two sides that are not supported by objective data, unless they clearly are statements of opinion about values or about consequences. We worked diligently to ensure that our reports on the measures are balanced, accurate, and fair. We hope that this will give you the information you need to make an informed vote.

County Elections Offices
Click here to contact your local elections office

 

Benefactors
($6000 and above)

Carol and Velma Saling Foundation
HAVA, Help America Vote Act
Members and Friends of the League of Women Voters of Oregon Education Fund
Rose E. Tucker Charitable Trust
Vernier Software and Technology

Patrons
($3000 - $5999)

League of Women Voters Education Fund and the Program on Constitutional and Legal Policy of the Open Society Institute
Oregon School Employees Association
Pamplin Media Group
The Standard

Friends
($1000 - $2999)

LWV Member Mary Neely
LWV Member Norman Turrill
Oregon Advocacy Center
Oregon Literacy
PacifiCorp
Wells Fargo