10 Oregon counties will vote on new local gun laws

(OCTOBER 31, 2018) In the 2018 election, some parts of Oregon will vote on gun ordinances (an ordinance is a local law). These possible laws are called Second Amendment Preservation Ordinances. The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution allows citizens to own guns. The ordinances want to strengthen that idea.

The new ordinances are on the election ballot in only 10 Oregon counties. The ordinances say that county residents can own semi-automatic weapons (guns that automatically reload bullets when they are fired). The ordinances say that county residents do not have to register their guns with the government. They also say that each county's sheriff can decide if a state or federal gun law is constitutional. If it is not, then the sheriff can refuse to help the federal government to enforce those laws. They can also stop the county from spending money to support that work.

People have different reactions to these possible new laws. Some citizens say they are not legal. They worry about giving so much power to one local sheriff. Others want to send a message to their neighbors and newcomers to local towns. They want to remind others that they have the right to own guns. Some people believe that it is an issue of individual freedom and local control of government.

The governor of Oregon is Kate Brown. She says that gun laws should be a decision for the state, not local government. There are too many problems and too much confusion when different cities and counties have different laws.

November 6, 2018 is election day.