Public policy in Oregon

* Fiscal policy
* Budgets
* Budget and finances by state
* Tax policy by state
* State Budget Terms
* State government tax collections by source
* Total state expenditures
* State spending by function as a percent of total expenditures
* State debt
* Finance
* Financial regulation in the United States
* Dodd-Frank Act
* Federal Reserve
* Pensions
* Pension policy by state
* Public pension health by state
* Pension reform in San Jose and San Diego
* Pension Terms and Definitions
* Public pensions
* Civil liberties
* Affirmative action
* Campaign finance
* Nonprofit regulation
* Education
* Public education by state
* School choice by state
* Charter schools by state
* Higher education by state
* Education policy in the United States
* Public education in the United States
* Education statistics
* Education statistics in the United States
* Education spending per pupil
* Number of schools by school type in the U.S.
* Demographic information for all students in the United States
* Public school system expenditures in the United States
* Public school system revenues in the United States
* Public school teacher salaries in the United States
* Graduation rates by groups in state
* Public high school dropout rates by state
* ACT and SAT scores in the United States
* NAEP scores by state
* Major terms
* Blended learning
* Charter schools
* Common Core
* Dropout rate
* Progressive education
* Regulatory Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate
* School vouchers
* Teacher merit pay
* United States education agencies
* Elections
* Voting policy
* Voter identification laws by state
* Online voter registration
* Early voting
* Ballot access
* Ballot access for presidential candidates
* Ballot access for major and minor party candidates
* List of political parties in the United States
* Political party designation
* Redistricting
* State-by-state redistricting procedures
* Majority-minority districts
* Energy and Environment
* Energy Policy by state
* Fracking
* Fracking information by state
* Fracking
* Fracking in the United States
* Energy policy in the United States
* Energy use in the United States
* Oil and gas on federal lands by state
* Energy terms and definitions
* Agencies and legislation
* Environmental Policy by state
* Endangered Species Policy
* Endangered species policy by state
* Environmental policy in the United States
* Environmental statistics
* Endangered species statistics
* Glossary of environmental terms
* Glossary of endangered species terms
* Healthcare
* Healthcare policy by state
* Medicaid spending by state
* Effect of the Affordable Care Act by state
* Healthcare policy in the United States
* Affordable Care Act
* Immigration
* Immigration in the United States
* Immigration by state
* Index

## Contents

* 1 Budget Policy
* 1.1 Budget and finances
* 1.2 Taxes
* 2 Civil Liberties Policy
* 2.1 Affirmative action
* 2.2 Campaign finance
* 3 Background
* 4 Contribution limits
* 4.1 State comparisons in the 2024 elections
* 5 Candidate reporting requirements
* 6 Campaign finance legislation
* 7 Election and campaign ballot measures
* 8 Contact information
* 8.1 Election agencies
* 9 Recent news
* 10 See also
* 11 Footnotes
* 11.1 Nonprofit regulation
* 12 Education Policy
* 12.1 K-12 Public education
* 12.2 Higher education
* 12.3 School choice
* 12.4 Charter schools
* 13 Election Policy
* 13.1 Ballot access requirements
* 13.2 Redistricting
* 13.3 Voting
* 14 Energy Policy
* 14.1 Energy information
* 14.2 Fracking
* 15 Environmental Policy
* 15.1 Environmental information
* 15.2 Endangered species
* 16 Finance Policy
* 16.1 Financial regulation information
* 17 Healthcare Policy
* 17.1 Healthcare information
* 17.2 Medicaid spending
* 17.3 Effect of the Affordable Care Act
* 18 Immigration Policy
* 18.1 Immigration information
* 19 Pension Policy
* 19.1 Public pensions
* 20 Public policy in other states
* 21 Footnotes

* * *

This article does not contain the most recently published data on this subject. If you would like to help our coverage grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia.

* * *

The Public Policy Project on Ballotpedia aims to illuminate major policy issues being discussed and implemented throughout the United States. Public policy can be complicated and controversial; deciding what works best and how to allocate resources to achieve a policy goal can involve multiple trade-offs. Much of the public policy that affects citizens economically, legally and socially, is made at the state level. Below you will find links and introductions to all the Oregon public policy articles on Ballotpedia. To see the policy overview of another state click on the map below.

For a list of all public policy articles on Ballotpedia see here.

## Budget Policy[edit]

### Budget and finances[edit]

In Oregon, as in other states, lawmakers and public officials are elected in part to manage the state's finances. This includes generating revenues (money coming into the state from various sources) and approving expenditures (the money spent on governmental functions and servicing state debt). State budgets are complex and fluid, as they depend on anticipated revenues and planned expenditures, which may alter over the course of a fiscal year. If revenues do not keep pace with expenditures, states generally have to raise taxes, cut services, borrow money, or a combination of the three. State budget decisions are also influenced by policy decisions at the national level, such as the Affordable Care Act or energy and environmental regulations, and issues at the local level, such as crime and the quality of education.

HIGHLIGHTS

* Between fiscal years 2015 and 2016, total government spending in Oregon decreased by approximately $82.0 million—from $37.2 billion in fiscal year 2015 to an estimated $37.1 billion in 2016. This represents a 0.2-percent decrease.[1]

* In Oregon in fiscal year 2015, 75.2 percent of total tax revenues came from income taxes.

* Education accounted for 13.1 percent of state expenditures in fiscal year 2015, while 23.4 percent went to Medicaid.

### Taxes[edit]

Oregon generates the bulk of its tax revenue by levying a personal income tax and select sales taxes (otherwise known as excise taxes). The state derives its constitutional authority to tax from Article IX of the state constitution.[2][3]

Tax policy can vary from state to state. States levy taxes to help fund the variety of services provided by state governments. Tax collections comprise approximately 40 percent of the states' total revenues. The rest comes from non-tax sources, such as intergovernmental aid (e.g., federal funds), lottery revenues and fees. The primary types of taxes levied by state governments include personal income tax, general sales tax, excise (or special sales) taxes and corporate income tax.[4]

HIGHLIGHTS

* According to the United States Census Bureau, Oregon collected $11.04 billion in tax revenue in 2016. The state's tax revenue per capita was $2,698.

## Civil Liberties Policy[edit]

### Affirmative action[edit]

Affirmative action in Oregon refers to the steps taken by employers and universities in Oregon to increase the proportions of historically disadvantaged minority groups at those institutions. Historically, affirmative action nationwide has taken many different forms, such as strict quotas, extra outreach efforts, and racial and gender preferences. However, racial quotas in university admissions were banned in a 1978 United States Supreme Court case, Regents of the University of California v. Bakke.[5]

On June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court reversed lower court decisions in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina, effectively ending the use of affirmative action in college admissions.

As of March 2015, 109 out of 577 public four-year universities across the country reported that they considered race in admissions. This practice has been banned in eight states. Meanwhile, 28 states require affirmative action plans in either public employment or apprenticeships. Affirmative action programs that grant racial preferences have come under scrutiny in the courts for potentially violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.[6][7]

The following information details the use of affirmative action in universities and employment in Oregon, as well as notable court cases originating in the state.

HIGHLIGHTS

* In Oregon, two public universities reported considering race in admissions as of March 2015.

* At that time, Oregon law required state agencies to develop affirmative action plans for employment and contracting purposes.

The effects of affirmative action policies are contested. Proponents argue that affirmative action diversifies selective institutions and provides more opportunities to minorities. Opponents argue that implementing policies that favor some groups requires discrimination against others and that these policiesmay harm individuals they are meant to help.

### Campaign finance[edit]

Campaign finance requirements govern how much money candidates and campaigns may receive from individuals and organizations, how they must report those contributions, and how much individuals, organizations, and political parties may contribute to campaigns. In addition to direct campaign contributions, campaign finance laws also apply to third-party organizations and nonprofit organizations that seek to influence elections through independent expenditures or issue advocacy.

This page provides background on campaign finance regulation, lists contribution limits to state candidates and ballot measures in Oregon, compares contribution limits to gubernatorial and state legislative candidates in Oregon with those from other states, and details the candidate reporting requirements in Oregon.

The information on this page pertains to candidates for state office and state ballot measures. Candidates for federal office are subject to federal campaign finance law. Candidates for local office are subject to all applicable state laws as well as any separate local campaign finance regulations.[8]

As of September 2025:

* Individuals could contribute unlimitedly to candidates for state office in Oregon.

* State parties could contribute unlimitedly to candidates for state office in Oregon.

* Political committees could contribute unlimitedly to candidates for state office in Oregon.

* Corporations and unions could contribute unlimitedly to candidates for state office in Oregon.

## Background[edit]

Seal of the United States Federal Election Commission

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is the independent regulatory agency that administers and enforces federal campaign election laws. The FEC is responsible for disclosing campaign finance information, enforcing limits and prohibitions on contributions and overseeing public funding of presidential elections.[9] According to the FEC, an individual becomes a federal candidate and must begin reporting campaign finances once he or she has either raised or spent $5,000 in his or her campaign. Within fifteen days of this benchmark, the candidate must register with the FEC and designate an official campaign committee, which is responsible for the funds and expenditures of the campaign. This committee must have an official treasurer and cannot support any candidate but the one who registered it. Detailed financial reports are then made to the FEC every financial quarter after the individual is registered. Reports are also made before primaries and before the general election.[10]

The Supreme Court of the United States has issued a number of rulings pertaining to federal election campaign finance regulations. In the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, the court held that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in candidate elections cannot be limited. The court's decision also overturned the ban on for-profit and not-for-profit corporations and unions broadcasting electioneering communications in the 30 days before a presidential primary and in the 60 days before a general election.[11] In the SpeechNOW.org v. Federal Election Commission decision, the first application of the Citizens United decision, the court held that contribution limits on what individuals could give to independent expenditure-only groups, and the amount these organizations could receive, were unconstitutional. Contribution limits on donations directly to candidates, however, remained unchanged.[12][13] In 2014's McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission decision, the court overturned biennial aggregate campaign contribution limits, and held that individuals may contribute to as many federal candidates as they want, but may only contribute up to the federal limit in each case.[14]

While the FEC governs federal election campaigns and contribution limits, individual states enforce their own regulation and reporting requirements. Regulations vary by state, as do limits on campaign contributions and third-party activities to influence elections. Candidates for local office must follow any applicable state and local campaign finance regulations.

## Contribution limits[edit]

The table below details contribution limits as they applied to various types of individuals and groups in Oregon as of September 2025. The uppermost row of the table indicates the contributor, while the leftmost column indicates the recipient.

Oregon contribution limits as of May 2025 | Individuals| Single candidates committees| PACs| Political Party| Super PACs| Corporations| Unions

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Statewide candidate (e.g., governor)| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| $0| unlimited| unlimited
Senate candidate| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| $0| unlimited| unlimited
House candidate| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| $0| unlimited| unlimited
PAC| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| $0| unlimited| unlimited
Party committees| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| $0| unlimited| unlimited
Ballot measures| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| $0| unlimited| unlimited
Sources: Oregon Secretary of State Elections Division, "Campaign Finance Manual," accessed September 3, 2025

### State comparisons in the 2024 elections[edit]

See also: State-by-state comparison of campaign finance requirements

Individual contribution limits

Party contribution limits

Political committee contribution limits

Corporation and union contribution limits

As of the 2024 elections, there were no individual contribution limits on contributions to gubernatorial or state legislative candidates in 12 states, including Oregon. The remaining 38 states had varying limits.

Oregon

Individual contribution limits in Oregon:

* Governor: Unlimited
* State Senate: Unlimited
* State House: Unlimited

Comparison to other states

In the 38 states with individual contribution limits:

* Governor
* Minimum: $625 per election (Colorado)
* Maximum: $36,400 per election (California)
* State Senate
* Minimum: $200 per election (Colorado)
* Maximum: $15,499.69 per election (Ohio)
* State House
* Minimum: $200 per election (Colorado)
* Maximum: $15,499.69 per election (Ohio)

As of the 2024 elections, there were no state party contribution limits on contributions to gubernatorial or state legislative candidates in 21 states, including Oregon. The remaining 29 states had varying limits.

Oregon

State party contribution limits in Oregon:

* Governor: Unlimited
* State Senate: Unlimited
* State House: Unlimited

Comparison to other states

In states with party contribution limits:

* Governor
* Minimum: $1,950 per election (Maine)
* Maximum: $874,182.62 per election (Ohio)
* State Senate
* Minimum: $475 (Maine)
* Maximum: $174,371.53 (Ohio)
* State House
* Minimum: $475 (Maine)
* Maximum: $174,371.53 (Ohio)

As of the 2024 elections, there were no political committee contribution limits on contributions to gubernatorial or state legislative candidates in 12 states, including Oregon. The remaining 38 states had varying limits.

Oregon

Political committee contribution limits in Oregon:

* Governor: Unlimited
* State Senate: Unlimited
* State House: Unlimited

Comparison to other states

In states with political committee contribution limits:

* Governor
* Minimum: $625 per election (Colorado)
* Maximum: $86,000[15] (Wisconsin)
* State Senate
* Minimum: $200 per election (Colorado)
* Maximum: $68,500 per election cycle (Illinois)
* State House
* Minimum: $200 per election (Colorado)
* Maximum: $68,500 per election cycle (Illinois)

As of the 2024 elections, there were no corporation or union contribution limits on contributions to gubernatorial or state legislative candidates in five states, including Oregon. They were prohibited in 20 states. The remaining 25 states had varying limits.

Oregon

Corporation/union contribution limits in Oregon:

* Governor: Unlimited
* State Senate: Unlimited
* State House: Unlimited

Comparison to other states

In the 25 states with corporation/union contribution limits:

* Governor
* Minimum: $1,200 per election cycle (Delaware)
* Maximum: $36,400 (California)
* State Senate
* Minimum: $600 per election (Delaware)
* Maximum: $28,800 per election cycle (Tennessee)
* State House
* Minimum: $500 per election (Kansas)
* Maximum: $14,400 per election cycle (Tennessee)

## Candidate reporting requirements[edit]

Seal of Oregon

See statutes: Chapter 260 of the Oregon Revised Statutes

A candidate must form a candidate committee, unless he or she meets all of the following conditions:[16][17]

1. The candidate elects to serve as his or her own treasurer.
2. The candidate does not have an existing candidate committee.
3. The candidate does not expect to receive or spend more than $750 during a calendar year (including personal funds).

A candidate committee must file with the Elections Division of the Oregon Secretary of State a Statement of Organization within three business days of first receiving a contribution or making an expenditure. Statements of Organization may be filed electronically via ORESTAR (Oregon Election System for Tracking and Reporting). The Statement of Organization may also be filed in print format by mailing, faxing, or hand-delivering the requisite forms. A form including campaign account information must accompany the Statement of Organization.[16][18]

All candidate committees must establish a dedicated campaign account that meets all of the following standards:[16][19]

* The account must be established in a financial institution located in Oregon.
* The account must be maintained in the name of the committee.
* All expenditures made by the committee must be drawn from the account and issued via check, debit card or other means of electronic transmission.
* All contributions must be deposited into the campaign account within seven days of receipt.
* The account can only include contributions or money from other receipts received by the committee.

The candidate committee must designate a treasurer, who in turn must sign and file the Statement of Organization. The candidate may serve as his or her own committee treasurer.[16][20]

Generally speaking, the candidate and treasurer are responsible for the following:[16][21]

* establishing a dedicated campaign account in accordance with the previously stated requirements and filing a Statement of Organization
* signing and filing transaction reports
* keeping detailed financial records current to within seven days of each contribution or expenditure
* preserving records for each transaction for at least two years after the date of the transaction

Candidate committees that expect to receive $5,000 or more in a calendar year are required to report all "transactions" via ORESTAR. Transactions include contributions, expenditures, other receipts and disbursements and all other committee financial activities. Generally, transaction reports are due no later than 30 calendar days after the date of the transaction, though there are times when transaction reports are due within seven calendar days of the date of the transaction.[16][22]

A candidate committee that does not expect to receive more than $5,000 in contributions or make more than $5,000 in expenditures is required to file a Statement of Organization and designate a campaign bank account, but does not have to file transactions via ORESTAR. Instead, the committee must file a Certificate of Limited Contributions and Expenditures. This form may be filed electronically via ORESTAR or may be submitted on paper.[16]

## Campaign finance legislation[edit]

The table below displays bills related to campaign finance introduced during or carried over to Oregon's current legislative session.[23]

## Election and campaign ballot measures[edit]

See also: Elections and campaigns on the ballot and List of Oregon ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked 3 statewide ballot measures relating to elections and campaigns.

1. Oregon Measure 90, Top-Two Primaries Initiative (2014)
2. Oregon Measure Nos. 302-303, Establish Direct Primary System for Party Nominations Initiative (June 1904)
3. Oregon Measure Nos. 326-327, Require Legislature to Elect U.S. Senate Candidate Receiving Most Votes in Election Initiative (June 1908)

## Contact information[edit]

### Election agencies[edit]

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Oregon can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

Oregon County Elections Officials

Click here for a list

Oregon Secretary of State, Elections Division

Public Service Building Suite 126
255 Capitol St. NE
Salem, Oregon 97310

Phone: 503-986-1518

Toll free: 1-866-673-8683
Fax: 503-373-7414
Email: elections.sos@sos.oregon.gov
Website: http://sos.oregon.gov

Oregon Government Ethics Commission

3218 Pringle Road SE, Suite 220
Salem, Oregon 97302-1680
Phone: 503-378-5105
Fax: 503-373-1456
Email: mail@ogec.oregon.gov
Website: https://www.oregon.gov/ogec/pages/default.aspx

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 301-563-3919
Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
Website: https://www.eac.gov

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

1050 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20463

Telephone: (202)-694-1100

Toll-free: 1-800-424-9530

Email: info@fec.gov

Website: http://www.fec.gov/

## Recent news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Oregon campaign finance. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Public policy in Oregon - Google News

## See also[edit]

* Campaign finance regulation
* Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Oregon
* Oregon

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ National Association of State Budget Officers, "State Expenditure Report (Fiscal 2014-2016)," accessed June 26, 2017
2. ↑ Oregon State Legislature, "Oregon Constitution," accessed October 17, 2013
3. ↑ Tax Policy Center, "State Tax Collection Shares by Type 2000-2013," June 20, 2014
4. ↑ Brunori, D. (2011). State Tax Policy: A Political Perspective. Washington, D.C.: The Urban Institute Press
5. ↑ Oyez, "Regents of the University of California v. Bakke," accessed February 11, 2015
6. ↑ Miller Center of Public Affairs, "Affirmative Action: Race or Class?" accessed February 10, 2015
7. ↑ Business and Legal Resources, "Affirmative Action," accessed March 31, 2015
8. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Campaign Finance Enforcement," accessed May 28, 2025
9. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "About the FEC," accessed June 27, 2012
10. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate Registration Brochure," accessed December 7, 2012
11. ↑ New York Times, "Justices, 5-4, Reject Corporate Spending Limit," January 21, 2010
12. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Speechnow.org v. FEC," April 7, 2014
13. ↑ OpenSecrets, "Two Federal Court Rulings Could Change Campaign Finance Landscape," March 26, 2010
14. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Ongoing Litigation," accessed March 18, 2015
15. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Limits on Contributions to Candidates 2023-2024 Election Cycle," accessed May 8, 2025
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 Oregon Secretary of State Elections Division, "Campaign Finance Manual," accessed September 3, 2025
17. ↑ Oregon Revised Statutes, "Chapter 260, Section 043," accessed September 3, 2025
18. ↑ Oregon Revised Statutes, "Chapter 260, Section 039," accessed September 3, 2025
19. ↑ Oregon Revised Statutes, "Chapter 260, Section 054," accessed September 3, 2025
20. ↑ Oregon Revised Statutes, "Chapter 260, Section 035," accessed September 3, 2025
21. ↑ Oregon Revised Statutes, "Chapter 260, Section 037," accessed September 3, 2025
22. ↑ Oregon Revised Statutes, "Chapter 260, Section 057," accessed September 3, 2025
23. ↑ Bills are organized by most recent action. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.

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v • e

State of Oregon
Salem (capital)

|

Elections |

What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2026 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures

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Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy

### Nonprofit regulation[edit]

Nonprofit regulation in Oregon involves a complex set of rules that govern nonprofit organizations and charitable giving throughout the state. Major issues surrounding nonprofit regulation nationwide include the following:

* contribution limits,
* donor disclosure, and
* the redefinition of issue advocacy.

Oregon is one of 39 states that require charitable organizations, and those intending to solicit on their behalf, to register with the state in order to solicit contributions, whether they are an Oregon organization or based out-of-state. There a number of groups and organizations, however, that are exempt from registration.[1]

Oregon is one of 32 states that allows registrants to use either the Unified Registration Statement (URS) (if they are registering in more than one state) or the state registration form.[2] Only seven states requiring registration do not accept the URS.

According to Guidestar, an organization that reports on nonprofit companies, regulation of nonprofit activity protects donors and organizations from potential fraud and helps "to maintain trust in the [nonprofit] sector." According to the London School of Economics, nonprofit disclosure requirements can create privacy concerns among potential donors, thereby having an unintended negative impact on donor participation.[3][4]

## Education Policy[edit]

Charter schools •  Higher education •  Public education •  School choice

### K-12 Public education[edit]

The Oregon public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2022, Oregon had 581,849 students enrolled in a total of  1,246 schools in 197 school districts. There were 29,799 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 20 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. In 2020, Oregon spent on average $12,855 per pupil.[5] The state's graduation rate was 80 percent in the 2018-2019 school year.[6]

### Higher education[edit]

Oregon's higher education system is composed of 64 colleges and universities. Of these, 25 are public institutions, 27 are nonprofit private schools, and 12 are for-profit private institutions.[7]

HIGHLIGHTS

* In the 2013-2014 school year, average out-of-state tuition in Oregon was 303 percent higher than average in-state tuition: $26,144 compared to $8,616, respectively.

* Between 2012 and 2014, full-time enrollment in Oregon decreased from about 169,800 to about 165,500. However, in 2014, full-time college enrollment in Oregon was still 27.7 percent higher than in 2008, before the recession.

* At public four-year colleges in Oregon, 30.3 percent graduated within four years, while 55.5 percent graduated within six years. These figures were higher than in two neighboring states.

### School choice[edit]

School choice is a term that refers to programs offering alternatives to assigned local public school options. Public school choice options include open enrollment policies, magnet schools, and charter schools. Other options include school vouchers, scholarship tax credits, and education savings accounts (ESAs).[8][9]

HIGHLIGHTS

* According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, a charter school advocacy group, there were an estimated 127 total charter schools in Oregon in the 2015-2016 school year. These schools enrolled approximately 31,500 students.

* In Oregon, there were 58,830 students enrolled in 480 private schools in fall 2013, accounting for roughly 9.38 percent of the state's total school-age population.

* According to the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, as of June 2016, Oregon provided no financial assistance (either in the form of vouchers or tax credits) to parents wishing to send their children to private schools instead of public schools.

Proponents argue that school choice programs improve educational outcomes by expanding opportunity and access for historically disadvantaged students. In addition, advocates claim that school choice programs empower parents and improve traditional public schools through competition. Critics contend that these programs divert funds from traditional public schools, thereby generating unequal outcomes for students. In addition, some critics argue that school voucher programs wrongly direct tax dollars to religious organizations, which operate many private schools.

### Charter schools[edit]

Charter schools in Oregon are public schools operated independently of public school systems. Although they are largely publicly funded, charter schools are exempt from many of the requirements imposed by state and local boards of education regarding hiring and curriculum. As public schools, charter schools cannot charge tuition or impose special entrance requirements; students are usually admitted through a lottery process if demand exceeds the number of spaces available in a school. Charter schools generally receive a percentage of the per-pupil funds from the state and local school districts for operational costs based on enrollment. In most states, charter schools do not receive funds for facilities or start-up costs; therefore, they must rely to some extent on private donations. The federal government also provides revenues through special grants. As of March 2017, 44 states and the District of Columbia had approved legislation authorizing the creation of public charter schools. Six states had not.

HIGHLIGHTS

* According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, a charter school advocacy group, there were an estimated 127 total charter schools in Oregon in the 2015-2016 school year. These schools enrolled approximately 31,500 students.

* Overall, charter school students accounted for 5.36 percent of total public school enrollment in Oregon in 2015.

* The Oregon State Legislature approved the state's charter school law in 1999.

## Election Policy[edit]

### Ballot access requirements[edit]

In order to get on the ballot in Oregon, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Oregon. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

### Redistricting[edit]

Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Each of Oregon's six United States Representatives and 90 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.[10][11][12][13]

Oregon was apportioned 6 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, 1 more than it received after the 2010 census.

HIGHLIGHTS

* Following the 2020 United States Census, Oregon was apportioned six congressional districts, one more than the number it had after the 2010 census.

* Oregon's House of Representatives is made up of 60 districts; Oregon's State Senate is made up of 30 districts.

* In Oregon, the state legislature is primarily responsible for drawing both congressional and state legislative district lines. If the legislature fails to approve a state legislative district map, the secretary of state must draw the boundaries. There is no similar backup provision for congressional redistricting.

### Voting[edit]

What's on your ballot?

Find out using Ballotpedia’s Sample Ballot Tool

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Election Information
2026 election and voting dates
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Early voting
Absentee/mail-in voting
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Select a state from the menu below to learn more about its voting policies.

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The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.

This article includes the following information about voting policies in Oregon:

* Voter registration details, including deadlines and eligibility requirements.
* In-person voting details, including identification requirements, poll times, and early voting provisions.
* Absentee/mail-in voting deadlines and rules.
* Details about voting rules for people convicted of a felony.
* Contact information for election agencies.

Click here for more information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, post-election auditing practices, and additional election policy context.

For information on elections happening this year, click here.

Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.

## Energy Policy[edit]

### Energy information[edit]

Energy policy involves governmental actions affecting the production, distribution, and consumption of energy in a state. Energy policies are enacted and enforced at the local, state, and federal levels and may change over time. These policies include legislation, regulation, taxes, incentives for energy production or use, standards for energy efficiency, and more. Stakeholders include citizens, politicians, environmental groups, industry groups, and think tanks. A variety of factors can affect the feasibility of federal and state-level energy policies, such as available natural resources, geography, and consumer needs.

### Fracking[edit]

Read about Oregon's state energy profile »

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Oregon had no oil reserves but had limited natural gas production in the Mist field in northwestern Oregon, the only area with producible natural gas in the Pacific Northwest as of May 2017. As of May 2017, however, no fracking occurred in the state.[14][15]

## Environmental Policy[edit]

### Environmental information[edit]

Environmental policy aims to conserve natural resources by balancing environmental protection with economic growth, property rights, public health, and energy production. Federal, state, and local government entities develop and implement environmental policies through laws and regulations. This page features information about environmental policy in Oregon.

### Endangered species[edit]

Endangered species policy in Oregon involves the identification and protection of endangered and threatened animal and plant species. Policies are implemented and enforced by both the state and federal governments.

HIGHLIGHTS

* As of July 2016, Oregon had 56 species—22 endangered species and 34 threatened species—listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).

* Of these, 36 were animal species and 20 were plant species.

## Finance Policy[edit]

### Financial regulation information[edit]

The United States financial system is a network that facilitates exchanges between lenders and borrowers. The system, which includes banks and investment firms, is the base for all economic activity in the nation. According to the Federal Reserve, financial regulation has two main intended purposes: to ensure the safety and soundness of the financial system and to provide and enforce rules that aim to protect consumers. The regulatory framework varies across industries, with different regulations applying to different financial services.[16]

Individual federal and state entities have different and sometimes overlapping responsibilities within the regulatory system. For example, individual states and three federal agencies—the Federal Reserve, the Office of Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)—regulate commercial banks. Other sectors of the financial market are regulated by specific entities.[17][18]

HIGHLIGHTS

* In 2015, there were a total of 22 distinct commercial banks in Oregon, with total deposits of $65.69 billion.

* The Division of Financial Regulation is the primary regulator of financial institutions in Oregon.

* In 2015, a total of 15,375 financial crimes were reported in Oregon according to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN), an agency of the United States Department of Treasury.

Some, such as the Brookings Institution, argue that expanded governmental regulation of banks and financial products (e.g., mortgages) can prevent large-scale financial crises, protect consumers from abusive practices, and stabilize financial markets. Others, such as the Cato Institute, argue that over-regulation of banks of banks and financial products burdens business, stalls economic growth, and does little, if anything, to stabilize financial markets. Beyond this basic debate about the role of the government in regulating the private financial sector, there are varying opinions about the proper extent of governmental regulation.[19][20]

## Healthcare Policy[edit]

### Healthcare information[edit]

Healthcare policy in Oregon involves the creation and implementation of laws, rules, and regulations for managing the state's healthcare system. The healthcare system consists of services provided by medical professionals to diagnose, treat, and prevent mental and physical illness and injury. The system also encompasses a wide range of related sectors, such as insurance, pharmaceuticals and health information technology.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the 50 state legislatures collectively "make thousands of health policy decisions each year," not including the decisions made by local governments, which often oversee hospitals, and private bodies, such as insurers. These decisions can include budget appropriations, requirements for doctors obtaining their licenses, which services are covered by insurance, how personal health information is managed, and which immunizations children must receive, among many others.[21]

Healthcare policy affects not only the cost citizens must pay for care, but also their access to care and the quality of care received, which can influence their overall health. A top concern for policymakers is the rising cost of healthcare, which has placed an increasing strain on the disposable income of consumers as well as on state budgets.

Other issues in healthcare policy include

* state Medicaid expansion,
* health information technology and privacy,
* uninsured and underinsured portions of the population,
* a shortage of primary care physicians, and
* mental healthcare access and coverage.

### Medicaid spending[edit]

Oregon's Medicaid program provides medical insurance to groups of low-income people and individuals with disabilities. Medicaid is a nationwide program jointly funded by the federal government and the states. Medicaid eligibility, benefits, and administration are managed by the states within federal guidelines. A program related to Medicaid is the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which covers low-income children above the poverty line and is sometimes operated in conjunction with a state's Medicaid program. Medicaid is a separate program from Medicare, which provides health coverage for the elderly.

### Effect of the Affordable Care Act[edit]

The impact of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA), also known as Obamacare, was debated among politicians, policymakers, and other stakeholders. President Barack Obama (D) signed the ACA into law in 2010. The law facilitated the purchase of health insurance through a system of health insurance exchanges, tax credits, and subsidies. Initially, states were required to expand eligibility for Medicaid under the law; a 2012 ruling by the United States Supreme Court made the Medicaid expansion voluntary for states. The law also required insurers to cover healthcare services within a standard set of benefits and prohibited coverage denials based on preexisting conditions. Under the law, all individuals were required to obtain health insurance.

HIGHLIGHTS

* Between 2013 and 2016, the number of uninsured individuals in Oregon declined by 55.7%.

* About 137,000 individuals in Oregon were enrolled in health plans offered through the health insurance exchange in 2017. Enrollment in Medicaid amounted to about 1 million in May 2017.

* The Kaiser Family Foundation found that between 2016 and 2017, average monthly premiums for benchmark plans on Oregon's exchange increased by an average of 20% in the Portland market, from $261 to $312.

## Immigration Policy[edit]

### Immigration information[edit]

Immigration policy determines who may become a new citizen of the United States or enter the country as a temporary worker, student, refugee, or permanent resident. The federal government is responsible for setting and enforcing most immigration policy.

Meanwhile, states assume a largely supportive role, enacting their own supplementary laws and setting policies that may, for example, determine which public services immigrants can access, establish employee screening requirements, or guide the interaction between related state agencies and their federal counterparts.

Some jurisdictions, including some states, cities, and counties, have adopted policies of not cooperating with federal immigration enforcement; these jurisdictions have become known as sanctuary jurisdictions.

HIGHLIGHTS

* As of October 2016, Oregon allowed lawfully residing immigrant children to enroll in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program. The state also provided in-state tuition rates to certain individuals residing in the state without legal permission. Oregon did not issue driver's licenses to individuals residing in the country without legal permission.

* In 2014, Oregon's population amounted to 3.9 million individuals. Native-born citizens comprised 90.2 percent of the population; nearly 4 percent of residents were naturalized citizens and 6 percent were non-citizens.

* Oregon's poverty rate during 2014 was 11.5 percent. Among native-born citizens, 10.1 percent lived below the poverty line, compared to 29.6 percent of non-citizens.

## Pension Policy[edit]

### Public pensions[edit]

Oregon public pensions are the state mechanism by which state and many local government employees in Oregon receive retirement benefits.

There were 19 public pension systems in Oregon as of 2020. Of these, two were state-level programs while the remaining 17 were administered at the local level. Membership in Oregon's various pension systems totaled 389,305, as of fiscal year 2020. Of these, 182,642 were active members.[22]

HIGHLIGHTS

* Total contributions of $3.2 billion were made to Oregon's state and local pension systems, in fiscal year 2020. Of this amount, $725.6 million came from employees.

* Oregon's state and local pension systems made payments totaling $6.2 billion, in fiscal year 2020.

* Oregon's state and local pension systems held $80.3 billion in total cash and investment holdings, as of fiscal year 2020.

## Public policy in other states[edit]

Click your state  for an overview of policy information in your state.

Choose your state...AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington, D.C.West VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

http://ballotpedia.org/Public policy in STATE

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Fishman, S. & Barrett, R. (2012). Nonprofit Fundraising Registration: The 50 State Guide. NOLO.
2. ↑ "Multistate Filing Form," accessed December 17, 2014
3. ↑ Guidestar, Fundraising: What Laws Apply?" accessed February 18, 2015
4. ↑ London School of Economics, "Campaign finance laws that make small donations public may lead to fewer people contributing and to smaller donations," January 7, 2015
5. ↑ United States Census Bureau, "U.S. School System Current Spending Per Pupil by Region: Fiscal Year 2020," May 18, 2022
6. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Fast Facts: High school graduation rates," accessed September 28, 2022
7. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "College Navigator - Oregon," accessed July 12, 2016
8. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "School Choice and Charters," accessed June 18, 2014
9. ↑ Friedman Foundation for School Choice, "What is School Choice?" accessed June 18, 2014
10. ↑ All About Redistricting, "Why does it matter?" accessed April 8, 2015
11. ↑ Indy Week, "Cracked, stacked and packed: Initial redistricting maps met with skepticism and dismay," June 29, 2011
12. ↑ The Atlantic, "How the Voting Rights Act Hurts Democrats and Minorities," June 17, 2013
13. ↑ Redrawing the Lines, "The Role of Section 2 - Majority Minority Districts," accessed April 6, 2015
14. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `OL`
15. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `OG`
16. ↑ Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, "Government Performance and Results Act Annual Performance Report 2011," July 10, 2012
17. ↑ The National Bureau of Economic Research, "A Brief History of Regulations Regarding Financial Markets in the United States: 1789 to 2009," September 2011
18. ↑ Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, "The U.S. Federal Financial Regulatory System: Restructuring Federal Bank Regulation," January 19, 2006
19. ↑ Brookings, "The Origins of the Financial Crisis," November 24, 2008
20. ↑ The Cato Institute, "Did Deregulation Cause the Financial Crisis?" July 2009
21. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Health," accessed July 8, 2015
22. ↑ United States Census Bureau, 2020 Annual Survey of Public Pensions: State & Local Tables accessed February 23, 2022

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