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The U.S. state of Oregon is one of the many states in the United States that has direct democracy in the form of initiatives and referendums. Oregon residents introduced this system in 1902 with a ballot measure. Nationwide, referendums and initiatives became known as the "Oregon System" of direct government. [1]
Recall elections are also allowed in Oregon's system. [1] [2]
The process of direct democracy in Oregon came out of several reforms proposed by members from the Progressive Movement. Important reforms before were the implementation of the secret ballot in 1891, and a system of voter registration in 1899. These were the first successful reforms in the state to combat electoral fraud and vote buying.
The Oregon System of direct democracy is largely credit to William U'Ren, one time a member of the Populist Party and the founder of the Oregon Direct Legislation League in 1898. U'Ren committed to direct legislation as a way combat corrupt practices in government, using it as a tool to break through the political gridlock in the state legislature. The initiative and referendum was eventually pushed through the legislature of 1897, where there was a split between the People's, Silver Republican, Republican, and Democratic parties over who would be elected to the US Senate. The Republican party split over the reelection of republican Senator John Mitchell, which was opposed by a faction led by republican Jonathan Bourne. U'Ren's People's Party struck a deal with Bourne's faction preventing reelection of Mitchell due to lack of quorum in the State's House of Representatives, preventing any legislation being passed that year in the state. Called the "Holdup of '97", Bourne denied Mitchell's reelection and committed to passing U'Ren's direct legislation constitutional amendment. [3] It later passed in the state as a ballot question in 1902.
Usage of the initiative led Oregon to enact innovative policies that would spread across the country as elements of the Oregon System. It was the first state to enact a direct primary, a Corrupt Practices Act to regulate election campaign spending, and recall elections. [4] One of the key reforms U'ren hoped to enact by direct legislation, a system of single tax inspired by Henry George, was never enacted by the state.
Direct democracy or pure democracy is a form of democracy in which the electorate decides on policy initiatives without legislative representatives as proxies. This differs from the majority of currently established democracies, which are representative democracies. The theory and practice of direct democracy and participation as its common characteristic was the core of work of many theorists, philosophers, politicians, and social critics, among whom the most important are Jean Jacques Rousseau, John Stuart Mill, and G.D.H. Cole.
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain number of registered voters can force a government to choose either to enact a law or hold a public vote in the legislature in what is called indirect initiative, or under direct initiative, where the proposition is put to a plebiscite or referendum, in what is called a Popular initiated Referendum or citizen-initiated referendum.
In the politics of the United States, the process of initiatives and referendums allow citizens of many U.S. states to place new legislation, or to place legislation that has recently been passed by a legislature on a ballot for a popular vote. Initiatives and referendums, along with recall elections and popular primary elections, are signature reforms of the Progressive Era; they are written into several state constitutions, particularly in the West. It is a form of direct democracy.
The Oregon Direct Legislation League was an organization of political activists founded by William S. U'Ren in the U.S. state of Oregon in 1898. U'Ren had been politically activated by reading the influential 1893 book Direct Legislation Through the Initiative and Referendum, and the group's founding followed in the wake of the 1896 founding of the National Direct Legislation League, which itself had its roots in the Direct Legislation League of New Jersey and its short-lived predecessor, the People's Power League.
William Simon U'Ren was an American lawyer and political activist. U'Ren promoted and helped pass a corrupt practices act, the presidential primary, and direct election of U.S. senators. As a progressive, U'Ren championed the initiative, referendum, and recall systems in an effort to bring about a Georgist "Single Tax" on the unimproved value of land, but these measures were also designed to promote democracy and weaken the power of backstage elites. His reforms in Oregon were widely copied in other states. He supported numerous other reforms, such as the interactive model of proportional representation, which was not enacted.
Elections in California are held to fill various local, state and federal seats. In California, regular elections are held every even year ; however, some seats have terms of office that are longer than two years, so not every seat is on the ballot in every election. Special elections may be held to fill vacancies at other points in time. Recall elections can also be held. Additionally, statewide initiatives, legislative referrals and referenda may be on the ballot.
the National initiative is a proposed process to petition an initiative at the federal level in the United States via a national vote on the national ballot measure. While some U.S. states allow direct or indirect initiatives, there are currently no national initiatives in the United States.
Term limits legislation – term limits for state and federal office-holders – has been a recurring political issue in the U.S. state of Oregon since 1992. In that year's general election, Oregon voters approved Ballot Measure 3, an initiative that enacted term limits for representatives in both houses of the United States Congress and the Oregon Legislative Assembly, and statewide officeholders. It has been described as the strictest term limits law in the country.
A ballot proposition in the state of Arizona refers to any legislation brought before the voters of the state for approval.
A popular referendum is a type of a referendum that provides a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote (plebiscite) on an existing statute, constitutional amendment, charter amendment or ordinance, or, in its minimal form, to simply oblige the executive or legislative bodies to consider the subject by submitting it to the order of the day. It is a form of direct democracy.
Elections in Oregon are all held using a Vote by Mail (VBM) system. This means that all registered voters receive their ballots via postal delivery and can vote from their homes. A state Voters’ Pamphlet is mailed to every household in Oregon about three weeks before each statewide election. It includes information about each measure and candidate in the upcoming election.
The People's Power League was an important Progressive organization, formed in 1892 by James William Sullivan and led by William U'Ren, that was devoted to governmental reforms in the United States in the early 20th century. Ellis Oberholtzer noted that the tradition behind the League reached back to the egalitarian Pennsylvania Constitution. Both the Pennsylvania radical and the League supported unicameral legislatures ; a mechanism of rapidly replacing elected officials ; and a body of elected officials to launch a full-scale investigation into the government at fixed intervals. Other radical leaders associated with the League were Will Daly, George Orton, Alfred Cridge, and E.S.J. McAllister. Its predecessor organization was the Direct Legislation League.
On November 4, 2008, the U.S. state of Oregon held statewide general elections for three statewide offices, both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly, and twelve state ballot measures. The primary elections were held on May 20, 2008. Both elections also included national races for President of the US, US Senator, and US House Representatives. Numerous local jurisdictions — cities, counties, and regional government entities — held elections for various local offices and ballot measures on these days as well.
A Legislative referral is a referendum in which a legislature puts proposed legislation up for popular vote. This may either be voluntarily or, as is the case in many countries for a constitutional amendment, as a mandatory part of the procedure for passing a law. These referrals, depending on the location, can either amend a constitution or enact a change in statute. It is a form of direct democracy.
Proposition 7 of 1911 was an amendment of the Constitution of California that introduced, for the first time, the initiative and the optional referendum. Prior to 1911 the only form of direct democracy in California was the compulsory referendum.
Electoral reform in Oregon refers to efforts to change election and voting laws in the West Coast state of Oregon.
The history of direct democracy amongst non-Native Americans in the United States dates from the 1630s in the New England Colonies. Many New England towns still carry on that tradition in the form of open town meetings.
The 1912 Progressive National Convention was held in August 1912. Angered at the renomination of President William Howard Taft over their candidate at the 1912 Republican National Convention, supporters of former President Theodore Roosevelt convened in Chicago and endorsed the formation of a national progressive party. When formally launched later that summer, the new Progressive Party acclaimed Roosevelt as its presidential nominee and Governor Hiram Johnson of California as his vice presidential running mate. When questioned by reporters, Roosevelt said he felt as strong as a "bull moose". Henceforth known as the "Bull Moose Party", the Progressives promised to increase federal regulation and protect the welfare of ordinary people.
Massachusetts has several forms of direct democracy, allowing for initiative and referendums at the state level and in many municipalities. The recall of public officials is also provided for in many municipalities.