The Oregon Supreme Court today handed a win to Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade, upholding her interpretation of the recently passed Measure 113. The measure aims to prevent legislators with poor attendance records from running for reelection. According to a statement from the State of Oregon newsroom by Griffin-Valade, the court's ruling aligns with what she believed was the will of Oregon voters. She expressed gratitude for the judicial clarity surrounding the execution of the measure.
In August, the Secretary of State stirred the pot by announcing her directive for the Elections Division to issue rules on the enforcement of Measure 113, which was greenlit by voters back in November 2022 and her office moving to ensure that legislators who skipped out on their responsibilities wouldn't find their names on the ballot come the next election cycle, The move was contentious, sparking debates on the floor and in the op-ed pages, about the balance between accountability and the democratic process.
Measure 113, with its straightforward decree, disqualifies any state lawmaker who accumulates 10 or more unexcused absences from serving in the subsequent term following the current one. This not only holds elected officials accountable but effectively changes the face of accountability in Oregon politics. "I’ve said from the beginning my intention was to support the will of the voters," Secretary Griffin-Valade said. "It was clear to me that voters intended for legislators with a certain number of absences in a legislative session to be immediately disqualified from seeking reelection," as stated by the State of Oregon newsroom.
After months of heated squabbling on what constitutes an "unexcused absence" and the measure's proper application, this ruling puts an end to the ambiguity giving Griffin-Valade and her team the thumbs up to impose some real-world consequences for truant lawmakers, signaling a mayday to any who thought they could play hooky without repercussion, and perhaps shifting the gears of Oregon politics toward a stricter sense of order and responsibility among its elected officials.
