Elections in Oregon - Campaign Finance

Campaign Finance

The Oregon Constitution allows for a broader right to free speech than at the federal level including the topic of political campaign donations. The Oregon Supreme Court has consistently ruled that campaign contribution limits are a violation of free speech and has struck down many laws and ballot measures that enacted contribution limits. As a result of these rulings, Oregon is one of the only four states that have no campaign contribution limits of any kind.

The most recent attempt to enact campaign contribution limits was Ballot measures 46 and 47 in 2006. Measure 47 passed, but 46 did not, and in the absence of the kind of Constitutional support it would have provided, 47 did not take effect.