Campaign Finance Reform - in Oregon

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler can keep spending from his war chest of large campaign contributions collected before the Oregon Supreme Court overturned decades of precedent and made campaign donation limits legal in Oregon, a judge ruled Friday.

Backers of strict curbs on campaign money in Oregon lost twice Friday in their attempt to quickly impose limits on donations to candidates for public office.  

The campaign donations the lawsuit challenges were above a $500-per-donor limit approved by Portland voters in 2018. Similar rules were approved by Multnomah County voters two years earlier.

The Oregon Supreme Court has dropped a bomb into the middle of the 2020 election, ruling on Thursday that campaign contribution limits do not violate the Oregon Constitution. The most immediate effect...

Portland city election officials say they’ll begin enforcing the voter-approved $500-per-donor limit after the Oregon Court of Appeals on Tuesday overturned a Multnomah County Circuit judge’s decision declaring campaign contribution limits in city elections unconstitutional.

The Oregon Supreme Court ruled on April 23 that campaign contribution limits do not violate the constitution, making them now legal in the state of Oregon. What that means, however, is not yet certain, as Oregon’s Secretary of State and Attorney General review to see if the ruling means a 2006 ballot measure would now take effect – the court had stayed the measure earlier.   Possible impact: This ruling means controls could now be legal on campaign donations in local and […]

Though Portland's auditor said the city is not yet ready to enforce the Oregon Supreme Court's ruling in favor of strict campaign finance limits, Mayor Ted Wheeler announced late Friday his campaign will begin abiding by a $500 cap on future donations. 

 The Oregon Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favor of a voter-approved Multnomah County law putting a $500 limit on campaign donations. It could lead to new campaign finance limits throughout the state.

Oregon is one of just five states with no limits at all.

Mayor Ted Wheeler's reelection campaign has shirked some of Portland's campaign regulations, according to a letter sent by the city's elections office Tuesday afternoon. "After an investigation," writes City Elections Officer Debroah Scroggin, "I have identified three violations of city campaign regulations. I am issuing this letter of warning and education." Wheeler's campaign is accused of failing to disclose its top donors on his campaign website, on its Facebook page, and on its Twitter page....

Critics of big money in politics charge that Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler is failing to follow a new law requiring that big donors be listed in advertising for city races.

House Bill 4124 would most likely ensure that a key campaign finance reform measure passed by Oregonians in 2006 will never go in effect, writes attorney Dan Meek. If the current walkout mirrors last year's and Republicans return with a few days remaining, the bill could be one of many passed in the rush to sine die.

House Bill 4124 would most likely ensure that a key campaign finance reform measure passed by Oregonians in 2006 will never go in effect, writes attorney Dan Meek. If the current walkout mirrors last year's and Republicans return with a few days remaining, the bill could be one of many passed in the rush to sine die.

Ronald Buel, a member of political action committee Honest Elections Oregon, said in his complaint filed last week in Multnomah County Circuit Court that he believes Wheeler has received more than $73,000 in contributions that violate the legal limit.

Will Oregon lawmakers appoint a campaign contribution limits task force likely to propose keeping political money flowing freely in the state?

New legislation would delay voter-approved campaign finance limits if Oregon Supreme Court upholds constitutionality of donor caps.

Seven Portland City Council candidates including incumbent Commissioner Chloe Eudaly have qualified to receive taxpayer dollars to help fund their campaigns, leading to more than $550,000 set to be doled by the end of January, according to the city.

Oregon is among a handful of states with no limits on campaign contributions in elections. The 2020 session offers lawmakers another chance to change that.

The Oregon Capitol (Salem Reporter archives) Rep. Dan Rayfield, D- Corvallis, wants to keep the campaign field for candidates level this year as courts and legislators untangle campaign finance reforms but he wants to short circuit a voter-approved measure to do that. Dan Meek, a longtime campaign finance reform advocate,[Read More...]

Sen. Jeff Golden, D-Ashland, writes that big-dollar contributions to elected officials and Oregonians' distaste for such donations underscore the simple need for Oregon to adopt strong campaign finance regulations.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown told reporters on Friday that the state Legislature should not pass campaign contribution limits during the short session that begins in February. She did not cite any specific benefits of waiting until at least 2021. Voters will decide in November whether to amend the state Constitution to allow contribution caps.

Advocates are pressing a crop of political candidates to abide by local campaign finance limits, which were passed by voters last year but quickly faced legal challenges.