The May 11 issue of the Oregonian, the largest newspaper in Oregon, contains this editorial, asking the legislature to pass SB 326. SB 326 would make it possible for primary voters to sign an independent candidate petition.
The editorial support is welcome. Oregon and Texas are the only states in which primary voters can’t sign an independent candidate petition (also, Nebraska primary voters can’t sign for an independent presidential candidate, but they can sign for independent candidates for other office). If Oregon repeals its restriction, that will not only help independent candidates in Oregon, but may make it easier to bring the issue up in Texas. The Oregonian editorial does have some factual errors, but nevertheless the existence of the editorial is encouraging. Thanks to Dan Meek for the news.
The editorial is completely misleading, since it suggests that voting for mill levies or non-partisan offices would disqualify an unaffiliated voter from signing the petition of an independent candidate for a partisan office.
The really insidious de facto screenout in Oregon is conducting non-partisan elections at the same time as party primaries. In the general election, turnout among non-affiliated voters is about 10% less than among major party voters. But at the primary election it is much lower, perhaps 40% lower. But in May 2008, there were county commissioner races, mayoral races (including in Portland), mill levies and state constitutional amendments on the ballot.