Welcome to Democracy Reform Oregon
Democracy Reform Oregon is a non-partisan, not-for-profit group working to increase accountability and opportunities for participation in politics and governmental decision-making. Visit the About us page to learn more.
Recent updates:
Release of Analysis of Money in Oregon Politics and HB 3009 Hearing in Salem
One piece of the campaign finance reform puzzle in Oregon are contribution limits that won't run into problems in federal courts. Democracy Reform Oregon has prepared HB 3009 with this goal in mind and the bill was heard in House Rules last Friday. It is fair to be skeptical about legislative interest in this topic, but we prefer to be optimistic. In conjunction with the hearing we released a major report, Money in Oregon Politics: History, Trends, and Reform. The press release outlines key findings or read the full report here. Check out news coverage here.
Improvements for Voters Coming from 2009 Legislature
Two improvements for voters have passed out of the Oregon House and head to the Senate. One bill allows online voter registration, a secure process that will facilitate registration particularly by young people whose lives are increasingly web-based. Check out this factsheet.
The other legislation calls for Oregon to join an interstate compact to use the Electoral College in a way that ensures that presidential candidates receiving the most votes wins. Read Democracy Reform Oregon's statement distributed to House members.
Beholden to all but indebted to none
The title of Commissioner-elect Amanda Fritz's guest opinion about her campaign and the value of the city's campaign finance reform program says it all. Read her thoughts on how - because of public campaign financing - she could focus on community based conversations rather than spending hours on the phone raising big donations and will be free of special interest influence in Portland's City Hall.
Also check out this picture of Amanda with a jersey illustrating her status as only the seventh woman elected to the Portland City Council. Photo credit to Portland Mercury.
