Bill > HJR201

This resolution proposes an amendment to the Oregon Constitution that would change how primary elections are conducted. It mandates that all candidates for specified state and federal offices, regardless of their political party affiliation, must appear on a single ballot for the primary election. Crucially, registered voters who are not affiliated with any political party (often referred to as "unaffiliated" or "independent" voters) would be allowed to vote in these primary elections, meaning they would not be denied the right to vote solely because they are not registered with a party. However, political parties would have the option to opt out of participating in these primaries, provided they meet certain requirements, including funding their own candidate nominations and ensuring fair participation for their members in selecting candidates. The resolution also defines a "minor political party" as one with a very small number of registered electors and specifies that candidates can request to have up to three officially endorsed political parties listed next to their name on ballots, or no party affiliation listed at all. Finally, this proposed constitutional amendment will be put to a vote of the people at the next regular general election for their approval or rejection.