Oregon Law
Law as of Jan 1, 2026
Chapter contents
251.005Definitions 251.008Joint production of state and county voters’ pamphlet 251.010[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.012Size, format and distribution of voters’ pamphlet; rules 251.014Electronic filing system; rules 251.015[1957 c.217 §1; 1979 c.190 §314; renumbered 258.006] 251.016Disposition of fee 251.020[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.022Voters’ pamphlet for election to fill vacancy in office of United States Senator or Representative in Congress 251.025[1957 c.217 §2; 1979 c.190 §315; renumbered 258.016] 251.026Statements and information included in voters’ pamphlets; rules 251.030[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.035[1957 c.217 §3; 1979 c.190 §316; renumbered 258.026] 251.036[1979 c.533 §6; 1993 c.493 §91; 1999 c.318 §52; renumbered 251.069 in 1999] 251.040[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.045[1957 c.217 §4; 1975 c.675 §21; 1979 c.190 §317; renumbered 258.036] 251.046Content of statements and arguments 251.049Names or titles of persons or names of organizations excluded from arguments and statements; exceptions; prohibitions 251.050[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.055Type of material to be excluded from pamphlet; liability for libel; procedure if material excluded; rules 251.060[1957 c.217 §5; 1979 c.190 §318; renumbered 258.046] 251.065Filing portrait and statement by or for candidate; rules 251.067Inclusion of portrait and statement of candidate for county, city or metropolitan service district office; inclusion of county measure or metropolitan service district measure; inclusion of community college measure relating to bonding 251.069Map of metropolitan service district to be printed in certain pamphlets 251.070[1957 c.217 §6; 1979 c.190 §319; renumbered 258.055] 251.075Portrait requirements; rules 251.080[1957 c.217 §7; 1969 c.617 §1; repealed by 1979 c.190 §431] 251.085Required content of candidate’s statement 251.087Secretary of State review of candidate portrait and statement; procedure if portrait or statement must be revised; rules 251.090[1957 c.217 §8; 1973 c.197 §4; 1979 c.190 §322; renumbered 258.085] 251.095Candidate space in voters’ pamphlet; fee or petition; use of space; verification of signatures; rules 251.110[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.115Statement of statewide and less than statewide political party or assembly; fee or petition; size of statement; verification of signatures; electronic filing; rules 251.120[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.125Disclaimer; identification of portrait or statement 251.130[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.135Withdrawal of material; refund of filing fee 251.140[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.145Temporary exemption from public records law 251.150[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.155Statements and arguments inadmissible in action to enjoin publication of pamphlet 251.160[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.165Preparing material for inclusion in state voters’ pamphlet 251.167Secretary of State to create list of most commonly spoken languages; public access and distribution; rules 251.170Requirements for translation of voters’ pamphlets; rules 251.173Translation Advisory Council; membership; compensation; duties 251.175Distribution of pamphlet; rules for nonstatewide special elections 251.185Measures, estimates, statements and arguments included in voters’ pamphlet; county and metropolitan service district measures; community college measures relating to bonding 251.195Form for printing proposed constitutional amendment 251.205Appointment of committee to draft explanatory statement of measure proposed by initiative or referendum 251.215Preparation and filing of explanatory statement of measure 251.225Preparation and filing of explanatory statement by Legislative Counsel Committee; when explanatory statement of committee used 251.230Effect if explanatory statement not filed 251.235Petition for Supreme Court review of explanatory statement; service requirements 251.245Committee to prepare and file argument in support of measure referred by Legislative Assembly 251.255Filing arguments for or against measure; fee or petition; size of argument space; verification of signatures; electronic filing; rules 251.260Secretary of State review of arguments for error in identification of measure number or designation of support or opposition to measure; changes allowed 251.265Inclusion of author of argument, author’s organization and notice of support or opposition to measure in voters’ pamphlet 251.275[Formerly 255.418; repealed by 1993 c.811 §20] 251.285Inclusion of community college district measure relating to bonding, county measure or metropolitan service district measure in voters’ pamphlet 251.295Radio and television broadcasts to supplement pamphlet 251.305County voters’ pamphlet 251.310[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.315Information required to be included in voters’ pamphlet; deadline for distribution; rules 251.320[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.325Schedule and procedures for producing and distributing pamphlet; fees; rules 251.330[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.335Filing portrait and statement by or for candidate; disclaimer; rules 251.340[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.345Governing body to submit explanatory statement; deadline 251.350[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.355Filing arguments for or against measure 251.358[1995 c.607 §33; repealed by 2021 c.551 §29] 251.360[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.365Cost of pamphlet preparation; allocation of revenue 251.370[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.375Exception to ORS 251.365 for certain districts 251.380[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.385“Electoral district” defined for ORS 251.345 to 251.375 251.390[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.395Content of statements and arguments; notice of material that may be excluded 251.400[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.405Names or titles of persons or names of organizations excluded from arguments and statements; exceptions; prohibitions 251.410[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.415Type of material to be excluded from pamphlet; liability for libel; procedure if material excluded 251.420[Repealed by 1957 c.217 §9] 251.425Required content of candidate’s statement 251.430Temporary exemption from public records law 251.435Statements and arguments inadmissible in action to enjoin publication of pamphlet 251.440[1989 c.773 §6; repealed by 1995 c.607 §91] 251.510[1955 c.498 §1; 1957 c.218 §1; 1973 c.657 §5; repealed by 1979 c.190 §431] 251.520[1955 c.498 §2; 1957 c.218 §2; 1963 c.351 §4; 1965 c.124 §1; 1975 c.675 §22; 1979 c.190 §324; renumbered 258.161] 251.530[1955 c.498 §3; repealed by 1957 c.218 §11] 251.540[1955 c.498 §5; 1963 c.351 §5; 1979 c.190 §326; renumbered 258.181] 251.550[1955 c.498 §4; 1957 c.218 §3; 1963 c.351 §6; 1965 c.124 §2; 1975 c.675 §23; 1979 c.190 §327; renumbered 258.190] 251.560[1955 c.498 §6; 1957 c.218 §4; 1963 c.351 §7; 1975 c.675 §24; 1979 c.190 §328; renumbered 258.200] 251.570[1955 c.498 §7; 1957 c.218 §5; 1979 c.190 §329; renumbered 258.211] 251.580[1955 c.498 §8; 1957 c.218 §6; 1965 c.124 §3; 1969 c.462 §1; repealed by 1979 c.190 §431] 251.590[1955 c.498 §9; 1957 c.218 §7; 1963 c.351 §8; 1979 c.190 §330; renumbered 258.221] 251.600[1955 c.498 §10; 1957 c.218 §8; 1963 c.351 §9; 1979 c.190 §332; renumbered 258.241] 251.610[1955 c.498 §11; 1957 c.218 §9; 1963 c.351 §10; 1971 c.743 §348; 1979 c.190 §333; renumbered 258.250] 251.615[1963 c.351 §3; 1979 c.190 §335; renumbered 258.270] 251.620[1955 c.498 §14; 1957 c.218 §10; 1973 c.657 §6; repealed by 1979 c.190 §431] 251.625[1963 c.351 §2; 1979 c.190 §323; renumbered 258.150] 251.630[1969 c.272 §2; 1979 c.190 §331; renumbered 258.231] 251.635[1969 c.272 §3; 1979 c.190 §334; renumbered 258.260] 251.640[1973 c.657 §2; 1975 c.675 §25; 1979 c.190 §336; renumbered 258.280] 251.645[1973 c.657 §3; 1975 c.675 §26; 1979 c.190 §337; renumbered 258.290] 251.650[1973 c.657 §4; 1979 c.190 §338; renumbered 258.300] 251.990[1955 c.498 §15; repealed by 1979 c.190 §431] 251.991[Formerly 255.990; repealed by 1987 c.718 §5]

Chapter 251 — Voters’ Pamphlet

ORS 251.255 Filing arguments for or against measure; fee or petition; size of argument space; verification of signatures; electronic filing; rules

(1)

Not sooner than the 120th day and not later than the 70th day before a general election or the 68th day before a special election held on the date of any primary election at which a state measure is to be voted upon, any person may file with the Secretary of State an argument supporting or opposing the measure.

(2)(a)

A person filing an argument under this section shall pay a fee of $1,200 to the Secretary of State when the argument is filed or may submit a petition in a form prescribed by the Secretary of State containing the signatures of 500 active electors. Each person signing the petition shall subscribe to a statement that the person has read and agrees with the argument.

(b)

The signatures on each petition shall be verified by the county clerk or the Secretary of State.

(c)

The Secretary of State by rule shall establish procedures for verifying whether a petition submitted under this subsection contains the required number of signatures of active electors.

(3)

An argument filed under this section must be filed using the electronic filing system adopted by the Secretary of State under ORS 251.014.

(4)

The Secretary of State by rule shall establish the size and length of arguments permitted under ORS 251.245 and this section, except that the length of an argument may not exceed 325 words. The size and length limitations shall be the same for arguments submitted under ORS 251.245 or this section.

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Provenance

Version history

Prior statutory text is not available in the ingested published editions. Consult an earlier official ORS edition or the cited Oregon Laws chapter.