Oregonians will vote Nov. 5 to decide several big questions

(OCTOBER 17, 2024) It's election time in Oregon. There are important decisions to make. Voters will choose the U.S. president. However, voters in Oregon will also decide on several big changes to state laws. Each idea is called a "measure". Oregonians will vote on these measures November 5, 2024.

Measure 115: Impeaching state officials

What happens when an elected official in Oregon does something bad? Now there is no way for the government to fire them. Instead, Oregon relies on recall elections as the primary method of removing elected officials. This process requires first gathering a significant number of voter signatures and then voting again. Measure 115 would introduce an impeachment process. Impeachment means to formally say that a public official is guilty of doing something bad.  This measure would allow the state to impeach elected officials, like the governor, if they are suspected of doing something illegal. The process would need a two-thirds vote in the Oregon House and Senate to make the elected official leave.

Measure 116: Who decides politicians' salaries?

Now, Oregon lawmakers set their own salaries. Measure 116 would create an independent committee. This committee would decide how much money the governor, lawmakers, and judges should receive. Supporters believe politicians shouldn't control their own pay. Others are worried about who will choose the members of this group and the cost of their work.

Measure 117: Ranked choice voting

Oregon may change the way people vote. Ranked choice voting lets voters rank candidates by preference. "To rank" means to put things in order from most important to least important. If no candidate gets a majority of votes, then the votes for the least popular candidate go to the voters' second choice. This process continues until someone wins with more than 50% of the votes. Some say this system is fairer. Others worry it won't reduce political disagreements. They also think the process is confusing for voters and unfair.

Measure 118: Universal basic income

Measure 118 would give a small yearly payment to everyone living in Oregon. The money would come from a 3% tax on big businesses. Supporters say this would help reduce poverty. Opponents argue it could lead to higher prices and fewer jobs. There's also concern that it might affect people's eligibility for other government benefits. (For more information, you can read the news story from ESOL News Oregon about this specific ballot measure.)

Measure 119: Cannabis industry unionization rules

Measure 119 is about unionization in the cannabis industry. Cannabis is another name for marijuana. The measure would require cannabis businesses to stay neutral when workers discuss unions. Cannabis businesses would need to sign a "labor peace agreement" with unions in order to get or keep their licenses. If they don't, then there could be fines or or they could lose their license.