MEASURE 90 STIRS
CONCERNS FOR
BIG-MONEY INFLUENCE
A recent poll by Oregon Public Broadcasting
shows support for the “top-two primary” initia-
tive Measure 90 at 36 percent, opposition at 38
percent and undecided at 26 percent. If you are
among the undecided, here’s a story for you.
Measure 90 would open Oregon’s primary
elections to every registered voter. All voters
would get ballots in May and pick their favorite
candidate in each race, regardless of party. The
two leading candidates would advance to the
November ballot. Any combination of Demo-
crats, Republicans or minority candidates could
end up as the only choices in November. A similar measure
in 1988 was defeated by a margin of 66-33.
The pro and con campaigns are both predicting big
changes in how Oregon elects its representatives in state
and federal races, but questions remain about what will
actually happen if it passes. California and Washington
passed similar measures in the last election cycles with in-
conclusive results so far. Oregon’s version of a “top-two”
primary is different in significant ways, such as allowing
candidates to list minor party endorsements right on the
ballot.
Opponents say the top-two system would encourage big
donors to try to buy elections by eliminating opposition, par-
ticularly when there’s no popular incumbent in the race. For
example, when Rep. Peter DeFazio retires, big conservative
donors could strategically back several Republican candi-
dates so that no Democrat ends up on the November ballot.
‘Greens, Libertarians, Constitution
Party or Working Family Party
candidates would never make it to
the November election.’
— M I C H A E L B E I L S T E I N , PA C I F I C G R E E N PA R T Y C A N D I D AT E
Big money, about $4.5 million at last count, is flow-
ing into the pro-Measure 90 campaign from conservative
business and industry interests, leading to speculation.
Stephan Michael, state director of The Main Street Al-
liance of Oregon, asks, “Why would out-of-state billion-
aires spend millions supporting this campaign? Good
question. Perhaps it’s because of what they can get out
of a victory.”
Sara Logue of the Protect Our Vote Coali-
tion says the measure “essentially guarantees
the two best-funded candidates would reach
Oregonians’ November ballot.”
Some 650,000 independent and minor party
voters out of two million voters are left out of
primary partisan voting in our current system,
but looking at California’s experience so far,
it’s questionable whether independent and mi-
nor party voters will actually turn out in the
primary. Minor parties will no longer have a
reason to organize nominating conventions,
and some minor parties will likely not endorse
mainstream candidates, viewing that as diluting
their message.
Measure 90 provides voters with more
choices in the primary but that is offset by few-
er choices in the general election when it really
counts.
Opponents argue the real power for minor parties is actu-
ally having their names and candidates on the November bal-
lot for everyone to see. Minor parties would disappear from
ballots under Measure 90 unless they are able to win one of
the top two positions, unlikely in Oregon. Michael Beilstein,
Pacific Green Party candidate for Congress, says “Greens,
Libertarians, Constitution Party or Working Family Party
candidates would never make it to the November election.”
Will mainstream candidates become more centrist in a
top-two primary, since they will need to appeal to all vot-
ers and not just their base? Extreme partisanship is likely to
continue until we reform campaign finance laws and come up
with a better way to reform our election process.
More information can be found at several websites,
including noonmeasure90.org and 90fororegon.org.
— Ted Taylor
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