Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 254 § 254.135 — Contents of official general or special election ballot
Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 254 ·
Oregon Code § 254.135·Enacted ·Last updated March 01, 2026
Statute Text
Contents of official general or special election ballot.
(1) The official general or
special election ballot shall be styled Official Ballot and shall state:
(a) The name of
the county for which it is intended.
(b) The date of
the election.
(c) The names of
all candidates for offices to be filled at the election whose nominations have
been made and accepted and who have not died, withdrawn or become disqualified.
The ballot may not contain the name of any other person.
(d) The number,
ballot title and financial estimates under ORS 250.125 of any measure to be
voted on at the election.
(2) The names of
candidates for President and Vice President of the United States shall be
printed in groups together, with their political party designations. The names
of the electors may not be printed on the general election ballot. A vote for
the candidates for President and Vice President is a vote for the group of
presidential electors supporting those candidates and selected as provided by
law. The general election ballot shall state that electors of President and
Vice President are being elected and that a vote for the candidates for
President and Vice President shall be a vote for the electors supporting those
candidates.
(3)(a) The name
of each candidate nominated shall be printed on the ballot in but one place,
without regard to how many times the candidate may have been nominated, except
in circumstances where a candidate may hold more than one office or nomination
without violating ORS 249.013. The name of a political party, or names of
political parties, shall be printed with the name of a candidate for other than
nonpartisan office according to the following rules:
(A) For a
candidate not affiliated with a political party who is nominated by a minor
political party, the name of the minor political party shall be printed with
the name of the candidate;
(B) For a
candidate not affiliated with a political party who is nominated by more than
one minor political party, the names of not more than three minor political
parties selected by the candidate shall be printed with the name of the
candidate;
(C) For a
candidate who is a member of a political party who is nominated by a political
party of which the candidate is not a member, the name of the political party
that nominated the candidate shall be printed with the name of the candidate;
(D) For a
candidate who is a member of a political party who is nominated by more than
one political party of which the candidate is not a member, the names of not
more than three political parties selected by the candidate shall be printed
with the name of the candidate;
(E) For a
candidate who is nominated only by a political party of which the candidate is
a member, the name of the political party of which the candidate is a member
shall be printed with the name of the candidate; and
(F) For a
candidate who is nominated by a political party of which the candidate is a
member and by any political party or parties of which the candidate is not a
member, the name of the political party of which the candidate is a member and
the names of not more than two other political parties selected by the
candidate shall be printed with the name of the candidate.
(b) If a
candidate is required to select the name of a political party to be printed on
the ballot under paragraph (a) of this subsection, the candidate shall notify
the filing officer of the selection not later than the 61st day before the day
of the election.
(c) The word incumbent
shall be printed with the name of each candidate for the Supreme Court, Court
of Appeals, Oregon Tax Court or circuit court who is designated the incumbent
by the Secretary of State under ORS 254.085.
(d) The word nonaffiliated
shall be printed with the name of each candidate who is not affiliated with a
political party and who is nominated by an assembly of electors or individual
electors.
(e) If two or
more candidates for the same office have the same or similar surnames, the
location of their places of residence shall be printed with their names to
distinguish one from another.
(4)
Notwithstanding subsection (3)(a) of this section, the name of a candidate
nominated for more than one district office that is to be filled at the same
election shall be separately printed upon the ballot for each district office
for which the candidate is nominated. [Formerly 250.110; 1983 c.7 §5; 1985
c.742 §3; 1991 c.971 §12; 1993 c.493 §38; 1995 c.606 §7; 1999 c.410 §46; 2005
c.797 §46; 2007 c.154 §25; 2009 c.798 §2; 2012 c.102 §1; 2014 c.67 §2; 2014
c.112 §2; 2017 c.749 §28]
Plain English Explanation
This Oregon statute addresses Contents of official general or special election ballot. AI-powered analysis coming soon.
Key Points
01Part of Oregon statutory law
02Referenced as Oregon Code § 254.135
03Subject to legislative amendments
04Consult a licensed attorney for application to specific cases
Frequently Asked Questions
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