Bill > SB12

This bill modifies Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 254.085 to change how judicial candidates are designated as incumbents. Specifically, the bill prohibits the Secretary of State from marking a judicial candidate as an incumbent if they were appointed to their position and are seeking election in the first election since their appointment. Currently, candidates for the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Oregon Tax Court, and circuit court can be designated as incumbents if they are the regularly elected judge of the court to which they are seeking election. The bill removes the language about "appointed" judges from the existing statute and adds a new provision that explicitly prevents newly appointed judges from being labeled as incumbents during their first election. This change aims to provide clarity in how judicial candidates are presented on election materials, ensuring that recently appointed judges are not given the potential advantage of being listed as an incumbent when they first run for election.

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/SB12