Oregon still doesn’t have campaign finance regulations, but the 2020 elections will include some important differences from past races, under bills signed into law by Gov. Kate Brown on Friday.
Flanked by members of Oregon’s congressional delegation and a bevy of state lawmakers at a signing ceremony in Portland, Brown ensured that Oregonians will be able to mail their ballots for free in elections beginning next year, and that voters could have more information about who’s funding political ads.
The governor also signed a bill requiring so-called “dark money” groups to disclose large donors, but that provision won’t become operative until December 2020.
“In Oregon we believe that your vote is your voice, and that every single voice matters,” Brown said. “We continue to be a leader and a champion for the rest of the states.”
Before Brown were three bills — representing a sizable chunk of the elections changes lawmakers took up in this year’s legislative session.
Senate Bill 861 requires that the state foot the bill for postage if voters choose to submit ballots by mail rather than turning them in at drop-box locations. The bill directs the secretary of state’s office to use pre-addressed business reply mail envelopes, though the office can also look for more cost-effective options.
