History of Postal Voting in Oregon
Vote-by-mail had already been implemented to a lesser degree in Oregon:
- 1981 The Oregon Legislative Assembly approves vote-by-mail for local elections, at the discretion of the county; at least one polling place in the county had to remain open on election day.
- 1987 Vote-by-mail becomes permanent, with the majority of Oregon's counties making use of it.
- 1989 A House bill to extend vote-by-mail to include the 1990 primary elections was defeated in a 33–27, non-party-line vote.
- 1992 Governor's Task Force on Local Government Services identifies statewide vote-by-mail as one of the most significant opportunities to save money on conducting elections.
- 1995 Oregon becomes the first state to conduct a federal primary election totally by mail.
- 1996 U.S Senator Ron Wyden is elected by mail with a 66% turnout, succeeding Bob Packwood.
- 1998 Oregonians confirm their overwhelming support for vote-by-mail by passing Measure 60.
- 2000 Oregon becomes the first state in the nation to conduct a presidential election entirely by mail. About 80% of registered voters participated.
Measure 60 eliminated restrictions on vote-by-mail and established it as the single form of voting for elections in Oregon. It also required vote-by-mail to be used for biennial primaries and general elections as well as eliminating polling places.
Read more about this topic: Vote-by-mail In Oregon
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