Ballot Measure 65 was an initiated state statute ballot measure on the November 4, 2008, general election ballot in the state of Oregon. It was defeated by a wide margin.
Overview
Measure 65 proposed replacing Oregon's existing closed primary election system for partisan offices with a nonpartisan top-two primary system. Under the closed primary system in place at the time, only registered members of a political party could vote in that party's primary to select the party's nominee for the general election. Measure 65 would have eliminated party-specific primaries and instead placed all candidates — regardless of party affiliation — on a single primary ballot.
Proposed System
Under the measure, all voters would have received the same ballot regardless of their own party registration. For each partisan office, the ballot would list all candidates without regard to party registration. Voters would choose one candidate, and the two candidates receiving the most votes — regardless of their party affiliation — would advance to the November general election. This system bore similarities to a blanket primary and a nonpartisan blanket primary.
The measure would have amended chapters 188.120, 254.056, and 254.115 of the Oregon Revised Statutes, and repealed chapters 254.025 and 254.365.
Chief Petitioners
Former Oregon Secretaries of State Phil Keisling and Norma Paulus were the chief petitioners in favor of the measure.
Arguments
Proponents argued that the closed primary unfairly excluded voters with no party affiliation (independent and unaffiliated voters), and that all voters should be able to vote for any primary election candidate they wished, regardless of the party affiliation of either the voter or the candidate.
Opponents countered that every voter is free to register as a member of a political party in order to participate in the primary. They also criticized the possibility that a general election race could feature two candidates from the same political party, potentially excluding minor-party and independent candidates from the general election.
Results
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 553,640 | 34.09% |
| No | 1,070,580 | 65.91% |
| Total votes | 1,624,220 | 100.00% |
| Registered voters/turnout | 85.7% |
The measure was soundly defeated, with nearly 66% of voters opposed. No county voted in favor of the measure; the strongest opposition (70%–80% against) came from several rural counties.
See Also
- Blanket primary and nonpartisan blanket primary
- Oregon state elections, 2008
- List of Oregon ballot measures
- Washington Initiative 872 (2004) — a similar top-two primary measure approved by Washington voters
