Independent Party of Oregon

Independent Party of Oregon
Chairman	Linda Williams
Secretary-General	Sal Peralta
Founded	January 24, 2007 (2007-01-24)
Ideology	Centrist,[1] early progressive
Official colors	Blue, red
Website
www.indparty.com
Politics of Oregon Political parties Elections

The Independent Party of Oregon (IPO) is a political party in the U.S. state of Oregon. The IPO is Oregon's third-largest political party and the largest minor party of the state, with 68,516^[2] registrants since its inception in January 2007 making up 3.37% of Oregon's registered voters.^[3] At its current growth rate it is the fastest growing minor party in the state and has surpassed the Republican party in membership increases since its inception. The party experienced a 28.1% increase from January 2010 to January 2011, giving it larger gains than the Democrats (-1.9%) and Republican (0.6%) for 2010.^[3]

Membership

^[4]

The Independent Party of Oregon has exceeded 4 percent of total registered voters in 6 counties:

• Deschutes Country 4.62%
• Curry County 4.59%
• Jefferson County 4.25%
• Morrow County 4.22%
• Jackson County 4.14%
• Linn County 4.03%

History

Ben Westlund

The Independent Party was formed by voter petition in 2006, after House Bill 2614, a law that made it more difficult for non-affiliated candidates to run for public office in Oregon, was enacted in 2005 by the Oregon State Legislature.^[5][6][7] The same Legislature disallowed non-affiliated candidates from being labeled as "independent" on ballots, freeing up the name for use by the Independent Party.^[7] (HB 2614 was later repealed at the end of the 2009 legislative session.^[8])

Prominent party members include Portland attorneys, Linda Williams and Dan Meek, former Eugene mayor Jim Torrey, and former State Representatives Tony Vanvliet and Bob Pickard.^[9]

2007

The IPO was certified by state elections officials on January 24, 2007. The IPO criticized former Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury for refusing to print new voter registration cards that would include that party as a choice.^[10][11] A representative of Bradbury's stated that the decision was based on the cost of printing new registration cards, rather than any intent to harm a party.^[10]

2008

The IPO ran eight of its own candidates and cross-nominated four major party candidates in the 2008 election, including Democrats Jeff Merkley and Ben Westlund, and Vicki Berger, a Republican.^[5] Merkley was nominated by the party after John Frohnmayer, former Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, withdrew his Independent candidacy.

Joel Haugen

Joel Haugen, a Republican who won the Republican primary in the First Congressional District with more than 70% of the vote^[12] was cross-nominated by the Independent Party. The Party asked the Secretary of State to enforce existing Oregon law (ORS 254.135)^[13] and allow Haugen to appear on the ballot as a "Republican, Independent."^[14][15] The Secretary of State refused. After the Independent Party, joined by the Working Families Party, lost a circuit court decision that would have allowed Haugen to appear on the ballot as "Republican, Independent," Haugen decided to abandon the Republican nomination so that he could appear on the ballot as "Independent" only. The startling result was that there was no "Republican" candidate on the ballot for the 1st Congressional District of Oregon. The parties withdrew their appeal of the Secretary of State's decision, after the Oregon legislature passed SB 326, which repealed some earlier restrictions on non-affiliated candidates and allowed for "fusion lite" voting ^[16][17]

Vicki Berger

The party recognized Waldport mayor Herman Welch as the first Independent Party member to hold public office. Other Independents to hold local office are Robert Brundage of Sublimity, Soso Nedjeljko of Butte Falls, and Wayne Rofinot of Warren.^[9]

2009

The IPO played a significant role in passing legislation to allow a form of Fusion voting, a reform that allows candidates to list multiple party nominations on the Oregon ballot, and helped repeal the 2006 statute that made it more difficult for non-affiliated candidates to run for public office.^[18][19]

2010

The IPO became the first political party in the United States to conduct a binding statewide Primary Election entirely over the internet.^[20] 86 candidates participated in the election. Former Governor John Kitzhaber, a Democrat, won the party's nomination in a three-person race. 30 Republicans, 28 Democrats, 3 Independents, and a Libertarian were nominated by the party.^[21] The election was the largest nominating process ever held by an Oregon minor political party.^[22]

2011

The Oregon legislature drew condemnation from 5 Oregon newspaper editorial boards^{[23] [24] [25] [26] [27]}and from two former Secretaries of State^[28] for considering legislation that would have forced the Independent Party of Oregon to change its name by the end of the year or be disbanded.^{[29] [30] [31]}.

Growth

The Independent Party of Oregon is one of the largest minor political parties in the United States. From its inception in January 2007 through September 2011, the party added more than 68,000 members, making it the third largest political party in Oregon. As the first chart illustrates, its members account for approximately 40 percent of the net growth in the Oregon electorate from January, 2007 to December, 2010. It is also larger than all other Oregon minor political parties combined, as illustrated in the second chart.^[3]

Major Party Growth Comparison

Minor Party Growth Comparison

^[32]

Mission

According to its bylaws, the Independent Party of Oregon holds a number of positions. The party wants to increase voter participation and involvement. It advocates reform in specific areas of government, wanting to reduce the advantage of incumbency and the influence of campaign contributions on politicians and policy decisions. Areas it singles out for countering special-interest influence are health, education, welfare, and economic security. The party hopes to achieve this through fiscally sound transparent decisions that create a taxation system that benefits all Oregonians.^[33]

Organization

As prescribed by Oregon statutes governing minor political parties, the party comprises all registered voters designating their party affiliation as Independent. In accordance with party bylaws,^[33] the party consists of members and supporting members. A five-person state council of officers, and at-large delegates elected by the party membership, is responsible for conducting the day-to-day affairs of the party. Candidates are nominated in caucuses, the members of which are supporting members of the party, elected by the party's full membership.

Officers

• Chair: Linda Williams
• Secretary: Sal Peralta
• Treasurer: Joan Horton

2010 election

John Kitzhaber

In July, 2010, the Independent Party of Oregon became the first Oregon political party to conduct a primary election at its own expense in more than 100 years; the first Oregon political party ever to conduct a binding primary election entirely over the internet; and the first Oregon minor political party to conduct a primary election. ^[34] More than 2000 Independent Party members voted in the election, which involved 77 candidates, including 39 Democrats, 32 Republicans, a Libertarian and Green, making it the largest nominating process ever held by an Oregon minor political party.^[35]

Winners of the IPO Primary election included Governor John Kitzhaber and 30 people who served in the Oregon legislature in 2011. ^[36] Independent Party member Jeff Caton, who ran in House District 48, won 43 percent of the vote. This was the closest a minor party candidate had come to winning federal or state office in Oregon since at least 1932. ^[37]

IPO 2010 general election results

Race	Candidate	Party	Result	Notes
Oregon Governor	John Kitzhaber	Cross-nominated Democratic	Defeated Chris Dudley
State Representative, HD1	Wayne Krieger*	Cross-nominated Republican	Defeated Eldon Rollins
State Representative, HD3	Wally Hicks	Cross-nominated Republican	Defeated Barbara Gonzales
State Representative, HD9	Arnie Roblan*	Cross-nominated Democratic	Defeated R. Scott Roberts
State Representative, HD10	Jean Cowan*	Cross-nominated Democratic	Defeated Becky Lemler
State Representative, HD11	Phil Barnhart*	Cross-nominated Democratic	Defeated Kelly Lovelace
State Representative, HD13	Nancy Nathanson*	Cross-nominated Democratic	Defeated Bill Young
State Representative, HD14	Kevin Prociw	Independent	Lost to Val Hoyle*
State Representative, HD15	Bud Laurent	Cross-nominated Democratic	Lost to Andy Olson*	Olson was endorsed by IPO steering committee
State Representative, HD16	Rose Cook	Cross-nominated Republican	Lost to Sara Gelser*
State Representative, HD20	Vicki Berger*	Cross-nominated Republican	Defeated Mike Powers
State Representative, HD21	Marvin Sannes	Cross-nominated Republican	Lost to Brian Clem*
State Representative, HD22	Betty Komp*	Cross-nominated Democratic	Defeated Kathy LeCompte
State Representative, HD23	Jim Thompson*	Cross-nominated Republican	Defeated Wesley West
State Representative, HD24	Susan Sokol-Blosser	Cross-nominated Democratic	Lost to Jim Weidner*
State Representative, HD26	Matt Wingard*	Cross-nominated Republican	Defeated Sandy Webb
State Representative, HD27	Tobias Read*	Cross-nominated Democratic	Defeated Dan Lucas
State Representative, HD29	Katie Riley	Cross-nominated Democratic	Lost to Katie Eyre Brewer
State Representative, HD30	Shawn Lindsay	Cross-nominated Republican	Defeated Doug Ainge
State Representative, HD31	Ed DeCoste	Cross-nominated Republican	Lost to Brad Witt*
State Representative, HD32	Deborah Boone*	Cross-nominated Democrat	Defeated Lew Barnes
State Representative, HD35	Gordon Fiddes	Cross-nominated Republican	Lost to Margaret Doherty*
State Representative, HD37	Will Rasmussen	Cross-nominated Democrat	Lost to Julie Parrish
State Representative, HD39	Bill Kennemer*	Cross-nominated Republican	Defeated Alice Norris
State Representative, HD40	Dave Hunt*	Cross-nominated Democrat	Defeated Deborah Gerritzen
State Representative, HD41	Carolyn Tomei*	Cross-nominated Democrat	Defeated Hugo Schulz
State Representative, HD46	Ben Cannon*	Cross-nominated Democrat	Defeated Russell Turner
State Representative, HD48	Jeff Caton	Independent	Lost to Mike Schaufler*
State Representative, HD50	Cheryl Myers	Cross-nominated Democratic	Lost to Patrick Sheehan
State Representative, HD52	Mark Johnson	Cross-nominated Republican	Defeated Suzanne Vanorman*
State Representative, HD54	Jason Conger	Cross-nominated Republican	Defeated Judy Stiegler*
State Representative, HD56	Bill Garrard*	Cross-nominated Republican	uncontested
State Representative, HD59	John Huffman*	Cross-nominated Republican	uDefeated Will Boettner

• denotes Incumbent

2008 election

Jeff Merkley

The Independent Party became the first Oregon minor political party in more than 80 years to cross-nominate major party candidates for public office. Its candidates generally fared better than other minor party candidates in terms of votes garnered. Joel Haugen received 19% of the vote in a five-candidate race for the U.S. House of Representatives in the first congressional district. State legislative candidates Terry Rilling, Pete Belcastro, and Keith Wangle garnered 40%, 44%, and 30% of the vote respectively in their races for the Oregon House of Representatives.^[38] Independent Party member Jim Torrey was defeated by incumbent mayor Kitty Piercy in Eugene's non-partisan mayoral election, 48.8% to 47.4%.^[39]

2008 IPO general election results

Race	Candidate	Party	Notes	Votes
U.S. Senate	Jeff Merkley	Cross-nominated Democratic	Defeated incumbent Gordon Smith	864,392
Oregon State Treasurer	Ben Westlund	Cross-nominated Democratic	Defeated Allen Alley	847,590
U.S. House of Representatives, CD1	Joel Haugen	Independent Republican	Lost to incumbent David Wu	58,279
State Representative, HD4	Keith Wangle	Independent	Lost to incumbent Dennis Richardson	8,053
State Representative, HD5	Pete Belcastro	Independent	Lost to incumbent Peter Buckley	11,653
State Representative, HD18	Jim Gilbert	Cross-nominated Democratic	Lost to incumbent Vic Gilliam	11,702
State Representative, HD20	Vicki Berger	Cross-nominated Republican	Defeated Richard Riggs	15,829
State Representative, HD29	Terry Rilling	Independent	Lost to incumbent Chuck Riley	7,321

Other candidates: Stephen Bradley (Curry County Commissioner), Col. Dale Potter (Wallowa County Commissioner), Ken Wick (Wallowa County Commissioner). The party also endorsed Kate Brown for Secretary of State.^[40]

See also

• List of political parties in Oregon

References

1. ^ "Independent Party Announces 2009 legislative agenda". Independent Party of Oregon. http://www.indparty.com/node/152. Retrieved 2009-03-03. 
2. ^ http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/doc/voterresources/registration/aug11.pdf
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Elections -- Voter Registration". Oregon Secretary of State. http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/votreg/jul10.pdf. Retrieved June 14, 2010. 
4. ^ http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/votreg/09mvr.htm Retrieved 5/15/2011
5. ^ ^{a b} "Independent Party Voter's Pamphlet Statement (see page 33)". Oregon Secretary of State. http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/nov42008/guide/pdf/book10.pdf. Retrieved February 26, 2009. 
6. ^ http://www.leg.state.or.us/05reg/measures/hb2600.dir/hb2614.en.html
7. ^ ^{a b} "Our Party". Independent Party of Oregon. http://www.indparty.com/about. Retrieved 2009-02-28. 
8. ^ Wong, Peter (July 17, 2009). "Bill eases path for outsider candidates: A 2005 law made it harder for non-party runners to qualify". The Statesman Journal. http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20090717/LEGISLATURE/907170353. 
9. ^ ^{a b} "Waldport Mayor becomes first Independent to hold public office". Independent Party of Oregon. http://www.indparty.com/node/151. Retrieved 2009-02-28. 
10. ^ ^{a b} Jaquiss, Nigel (March 7, 2007). "Party On, Party Off". Willamette Week. http://wweek.com/editorial/3317/8638/. Retrieved January 25, 2009. 
11. ^ Linda Williams, Chief petitioner, Independent Party of Oregon. "Sins of Omission". Willamette Week. http://wweek.com/editorial/3318/8677. Retrieved January 25, 2009. 
12. ^ http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/may202008/p08results.html
13. ^ http://www.leg.state.or.us/ors/254.html
14. ^ http://wweek.com/wwire/?p=12742
15. ^ http://news.opb.org/article/2807-independent-party-sues-state-over-cross-nomination/
16. ^ http://blog.oregonlive.com/mapesonpolitics/2008/08/independent_party_goes_to_cour.html
17. ^ http://news.opb.org/article/2899-judge-rejects-election-lawsuit-allow-multiple-party-labels/
18. ^ "Our Party". Salem Statesman Journal. http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20090717/LEGISLATURE/907170353. Retrieved 2009-08-14. ^{[dead link]}
19. ^ "Minor Parties Major Roadblock". Willamette Week. http://wweek.com/editorial/3531/12669/. Retrieved 2009-08-14. 
20. ^ "E-voting not ready yet". Oregonian. http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/08/e-voting_not_ready_yet.html/. Retrieved 2010-08-11. 
21. ^ "Kitzhaber adds Independent Party nomination to his ballot line". Oregonian. http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/07/kitzhaber_adds_independent_par.html. Retrieved 2010-08-11. 
22. ^ "Oregon Independent Party Releases Results of its Private Primary". Ballot Access News. http://www.ballot-access.org/2010/07/31/oregon-independent-party-releases-results-of-its-private-primary//. Retrieved 2010-08-11. 
23. ^ "Legislative process takes the low road in keeping secrets about bill sponsors". Klamath Falls Herald & News. 2011-04-20. http://www.heraldandnews.com/forums/article_83355e6e-6bd7-11e0-bb98-001cc4c03286.html#vmix_media_id=78708251. Retrieved 2011-04-24. 
24. ^ "An attack from nowhere". Eugene Register-Guard. 2011-04-19. http://www.registerguard.com/web/opinion/26142178-47/party-bill-independent-ipo-political.html.csp. Retrieved 2011-04-24. 
25. ^ "The war of independents". Oregonian. 2011-04-15. http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2011/04/the_war_of_independents.html. Retrieved 2011-04-24. 
26. ^ "What's next, word police?". Albany Democrat-Herald. 2011-04-13. http://www.democratherald.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_81ab530e-65ed-11e0-a565-001cc4c002e0.html. Retrieved 2011-04-24. 
27. ^ "The more the merrier". Medford Mail-Tribune. 2011-04-13. http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110413/OPINION/104130308/-1/NEWSMAP. Retrieved 2011-04-24. 
28. ^ "Former Secretaries of State Slam Attempt to Kill Independent Party". Willamette Week. 2011-04-13. http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-26929-former_secretaries_of_state_slam_attempt_to_kill_independent_party.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
29. ^ "Biggest Oregn minor party faces 'execution' bill". Associated Press. https://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/2011/04/biggest-ore-minor-party-faces-execution-bill. Retrieved 2011-04-24. 
30. ^ "Oregon Capitol mystery: Who wants to kill the Independent Party?". Oregonian. 2011-04-17. http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/04/oregon_capitol_mystery_who_wan.html. Retrieved 2011-04-24. 
31. ^ "No one testifies for bill banning Independent Party of Oregon". Albany Democrat-Herald. 2011-04-14. http://www.democratherald.com/news/local/article_f0c75054-66b9-11e0-886d-001cc4c03286.html. Retrieved 2011-04-24. 
32. ^ http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/votreg/09mvr.htm Retrieved 01/21/10
33. ^ ^{a b} "Bylaws of the Independent Party of Oregon". Independent Party of Oregon. http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/cand/bylaws_ind.pdf. Retrieved March 1, 2009. 
34. ^ "An experimental primary". Eugene Register-Guard. 2010-07-11. http://special.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/opinion/25006049-47/party-independent-primary-candidates-election.csp. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
35. ^ "Former Secretaries of State Slam Attempt to Kill Independent Party". Willamette Week. 2011-04-13. http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-26929-former_secretaries_of_state_slam_attempt_to_kill_independent_party.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
36. ^ "Lots of legislative candidates want Independent Party nomination". The Oregonian. 20068-06-03. http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/06/lots_of_legislative_candidates.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
37. ^ "Oregon Independent Party Legislative Nominee in November 2010 Set 80-Year Record". Ballot Access News. 2011-01-21. http://www.ballot-access.org/2011/01/21/oregon-independent-party-legislative-nominee-in-november-2010-set-80-year-record/. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
38. ^ "Official Results – November 4, 2008 General Election". Oregon Secretary of State. http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/nov42008/g08results.html. Retrieved March 1, 2009. 
39. ^ http://www.co.lane.or.us/Elections/results/20080520.htm
40. ^ "Kate Brown picks up Independent Party endorsement". OregonLive.com. 2008-10-07. http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2008/10/kate_brown_picks_up_independen.html. Retrieved 2009-03-10. 

External links

• Independent Party of Oregon (official website)