On February 11, the Oregon House Rules Committee passed HB 4026 by 6-0. As amended, it lowers the registration test for a party to remain on the ballot from one-half of 1% of the registered voters, to one-fourth of 1% of the registered voters.

The bill has no impact on the alternate vote test, which is 1% of the vote for any statewide race at either of the last two elections.

The bill will help the Working Families Party to remain on the ballot. Generally WFP doesn’t have any statewide nominees, except for nominees who are also Democratic Party nominees. Because fusion in Oregon is aggregated, this means the Working Families nominees don’t receive a vote total just under the Working Families label. Therefore the alternate vote test is of no help to the Working Families Party, so the party needs to pass the registration test instead.