Democratic Representative Val Hoyle and Republican Representative Vic Gilliam announced that they will join together to sponsor a bipartisan bill that will prevent ballot measure campaigns from filing Voters’ Pamphlet statements meant to trick voters into voting [the wrong way?]on ballot measures.
The Gilliam and Hoyle bill is a reaction to attempts by the “Yes on Measure 90” campaign to confuse voters by filing fake “No” statements in this year’s Voter Pamphlet. “Yes on Measure 90” filed fake statements to mislead voters about who opposes Measure 90 and why. Measure 90 is opposed by one of the broadest and most diverse coalitions in recent Oregon political history. The fake statements were filed to both discredit opponents to the measure as well as hide the out-of-state business interests that are funding Measure 90.
Hoyle and Gilliam had earlier published an open letter to the backers of Measure 90 asking them to “commit to having an honest debate about the merits of Measure 90”and remove their phony statements. Unfortunately, the ”Yes on Measure 90” campaign refused. Hoyle and Gilliam are filing their bill to protect the Voter Guide from trickery so that misleading tactics are not used again.
“The Voters’ Pamphlet is a taxpayer-funded resource meant to help voters learn more about important issue and candidates. It should not be a forum for political dirty tricks,” said Rep. Vic Gilliam.
“It’s unfortunate that a bill like this is even needed, but we have a responsibility to preserve the integrity of the Oregon Voters’ Pamphlet,” said Rep. Val Hoyle. “That is why we are drafting legislation that would make it illegal to trick voters by submitting fake statements in Oregon’s Voters’ Pamphlet.”
Oregon voters have come to rely on the Voters’ Pamphlet as a source of authentic information about ballot measures and who supports or opposes them. Dishonest political tricks have no space in such a forum.
Contact: Cody Chasteen, 541-530-3438 cody@valhoyle.com
