In this photo, taken Oct. 14, 2024, the first page of the Measure 117 section in the Oregon Voters' Pamphlet for the November 2024 election is pictured. The text, explanatory statement and arguments for and against the legislative referral run 38 pages, from 75 - 113.
Allison Frost / OPB
Measure 117 on the Oregon ballot would implement a system of ranked choice voting for all federal and statewide races in Oregon by 2028. The Yes campaign says it’s an idea whose time has come. Portland voters passed a new system of government which includes electing the mayor and city council members using RCV. And Multnomah County will soon be choosing elected officials this way as well.
Opponents of the measure raise a range of concerns, from county clerks who say there’s no infrastructure or funding to support this major voting change, to those who don’t agree that ranking candidates leads to a more democratic result compared to the traditional winner-take-all method.
Sara Wolk is the executive director of the Equal Vote Coalition, which opposes Measure 117, and Isabela Villarreal is with the Next Up Action Fund, formerly known as The Bus Project, which campaigns for the measure. They both join us to discuss Measure 117.
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