Oregon Supreme Court Upholds Measure 113, Deeming Ten State Senators Ineligible For Reelection

In a decision announced today, the Oregon Supreme Court ruled to uphold Ballot Measure 113 (2022), affirming the will of the voters.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 1, 2024
MEDIA CONTACT: Pati Urias, SEIU Local 503
480.322.2270

CORRECTION: Andrea Kennedy-Smith was incorrectly listed as the vice president for
the public sector of SEIU Local 503. Andrea Kennedy-Smith is no longer a vice president but serves as a board member of SEIU Local 503.

Salem, OR –  In a decision announced today, the Oregon Supreme Court ruled to uphold Ballot Measure 113 (2022), affirming the will of the voters. This ruling upholds Secretary of State Lavonne Griffin’s prior ruling that nine Republican and one Independent senators who staged a record-long six week legislative walkout this year cannot file for re-election in 2024 or 2026.

Oregon voters overwhelmingly passed Measure 113 in 2022 by a 36-point margin. The measure passed in 34 of Oregon’s 36 counties, spanning rural and urban parts of the state. In 2023, Senate Republicans walked off the job for the seventh time in four years, denying a quorum in the state senate for 42 days in protest of a bill that protected abortion rights and gender-affirming health care. Legislation to fund drought and wildfire protection, affordable housing, education, behavioral health support and much more was caught in the crosshairs for weeks as well.  In spite of voters’ overwhelming desire for lawmakers to show up and do their jobs or face consequences, Republican senators showed blatant disregard for our democracy and voters’ intelligence by filing this frivolous lawsuit and attempting to avoid facing the consequences of their actions.

The Supreme Court’s announcement today signals a definitive resolution to any uncertainty surrounding the effects of Measure 113.

“This ruling upholds the intent of Oregon voters; politicians need to do their jobs or lose their jobs,” said Andrea Kennedy-Smith, one of Measure 113’s chief petitioners and board member of SEIU Local 503. “They need to play by the same rules as everyone else. We appreciate the Oregon Supreme Court’s justices for taking up and resolving this frivolous legal challenge.”

“This isn’t a Democrat or Republican issue. Voters across the spectrum were extremely clear. These Senators didn’t just walk away from their jobs, they walked away from Oregon students who rely on the legislature to function and the thousands of Oregonians who clearly said that we expect politicians to show up and keep our state moving forward,” said Reed Scott-Schwalbach, one of Measure 113’s chief petitioners and president of The Oregon Education Association. Today’s ruling reaffirms that the following ten senators will not be able to file for re-election because of the dozens of unexcused absences they racked up during the 2023 session.

Senate DistrictRegionSenator2023 Unexcused AbsencesCurrent Term Ends
2Grants PassArt Robinson272025
6Lebanon, East Linn and Lane CountiesCedric Hayden312027
11Northeast Salem, WoodburnKim Thatcher292027
12Dallas, Grand Ronde, McMinnville, NewbergBrian Boquist302025
16North CoastSuzanne Weber222027
26Hood RiverDaniel Bonham262027
27BendTim Knopp202025
28Klamath Falls, La PineDennis Linthicum322025
29North east Oregon, PendletonBill Hansell252025
30Southeast OregonLynn Findley212025

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