Oregon Senate Majority Leader Kayse Jama (D – E Portland, Boring & Damascus) and Minority Leader Bruce Starr (R – Dundee) today advanced a measure to keep presidential electors accountable to Oregon voters.
Members of the Electoral College from each state cast the 538 votes that ultimately elect the U.S. president, but no current federal law or constitutional provision requires electors to vote for the same candidate who won the popular vote in their state. As chief co-sponsors of Senate Bill 1509, Senator Jama and Senator Starr teamed up to close that vulnerability in Oregon.
“Electors usually reflect the vote of the people, but the stakes are too high and political pressures are too intense to rely on a pledge alone,” said Senator Jama. “This measure dismisses and replaces any Oregon elector who breaks their pledge and bars the Secretary of State from accepting an electoral vote that is contrary to the vote of the Oregon people.”
Senate Bill 1509 is Oregon’s version of the Uniform Faithful Presidential Electors Act. Nationwide, 24 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws to ensure that any faithless electors are automatically replaced, with both Republican and Democratic lead sponsors.
“Voter trust hinges on a system that works as intended. This legislation takes an important step toward strengthening the integrity of our elections by holding electors to their pledge and ensuring every Oregonian knows their vote counts,” said Senator Starr.
The Senate Rules Committee voted unanimously to send the measure to the Senate floor.
