Oregon

Oregon is a state located on the United States' northwest, and bordering the Pacific Ocean, California, Washington, Idaho, and Nevada. Its northern border lies along the Columbia River and the east along the Snake River. Two north-south mountain ranges - the Coastal Range and the Cascade Mountain Range - form the two boundaries of the Willamette Valley, one of the most fertile and agriculturally productive regions in the world. Oregon is known for its abundant rainfall, but only the western 35% of the state and a bit of northeastern Oregon is notably rainy; east of the Cascades the climate is much more arid. Nonetheless, 40% of the state is or was forested.

Law and government

State government

Oregon state government has a separation of powers similar to the federal government. It has three branches, called departments by the state's constitution:

Related Topics:
Separation of powers - Federal government - State's constitution

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• a legislative department (the Oregon Legislative Assembly),
• an executive department which includes an "administrative department" and has Oregon's governor serving as chief executive, and
• a judicial department, headed by the Oregon Supreme Court.

Governors in Oregon serve four-year terms. The Legislative Assembly consists of a thirty-member Senate and sixty-member House. Senators serve four-year terms, and Representatives two. The state supreme court has seven elected justices. They choose one of their own to serve a six-year term as Chief Justice. The only court that may reverse or modify a decision of the Oregon Supreme Court is the United States Supreme Court.

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The state maintains formal relationships with the nine federally-recognized tribal governments in Oregon:

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• Burns Paiute Tribe
• Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians
• Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
• Confederated Tribes of Siletz
• Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
• Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
• Coquille Tribe
• Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians
• Klamath Indian Tribe of Oregon

Oregon adopted many electoral reforms proposed during the Progressive Era, due to the efforts of William S. U'Ren and his Direct Legislation League. Under his leadership, the state overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure in 1902 that created the initiative and referendum processes for citizens to directly introduce or approve proposed laws or amendments to the state constitution. In following years, the primary election to select party candidates was adopted in 1904, and in 1908 the Oregon Constitution was amended to include recall of public officials. More recent progressive innovations include the nation's only doctor-assisted suicide law, legalization of medical marijuana, and among the nation's strongest anti-sprawl and pro-environment laws.

Related Topics:
Progressive Era - William S. U'Ren - Direct Legislation League - 1902 - Initiative - Referendum - Primary election - 1904 - 1908 - Oregon Constitution

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Of the measures placed on the ballot since 1902, the people have passed 99 of the 288 initiatives and 25 of the 61 referenda on the ballot, though not all of them survived challenges in courts (see Pierce v. Society of Sisters, for example). During the same period, the legislature has referred 363 measures to the people, of which 206 have passed.

Related Topics:
Measures placed on the ballot - Pierce v. Society of Sisters

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Oregon has been a pioneer in the use of vote-by-mail:

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• 1981 The Oregon Legislature approves experimentation with vote-by-mail for local elections.
• 1987 Vote-by-mail becomes permanent, with the majority of Oregon's counties making use of it.
• 1995 Oregon becomes the first state to conduct a federal primary election totally by mail.
• 1996 Ron Wyden, Bob Packwood's replacement, is elected by mail with a 66% turnout.
• 1998 Through a voter initiative, Oregonians confirm their overwhelming support for vote-by-mail.
• 2000 Oregon becomes the first state in the nation to conduct a presidential election entirely by mail. About 80% of registered voters participated.

Oregon is currently seen as a moderate Democratic-leaning Blue State which has voted for the party in every election since 1988. The politics of the state are largely similiar to those of neighboring Washington.

Related Topics:
Blue State - 1988

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The distribution, sales and consumption of alcoholic beverages are regulated in the state by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.

Related Topics:
Alcoholic beverage - Oregon Liquor Control Commission

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Entering the Union at a time when the status of "Negroes" was very much in question, and wishing to stay out of the looming conflict between the so-called "Union" and "Confederate" States, Oregon banned Negroes from moving into the State in the vote to adopt its Constitution (1858). This ban was not officially lifted until 1925; in 2002, additional racist language was struck from the Oregon Constitution by the voters in Oregon.

Related Topics:
Negroes - Union - Confederate - 1858 - 1925 - 2002

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Federal government

Oregon is represented at the federal level by two senators and five representatives, which translates into seven electoral votes.

Related Topics:
Oregon is represented at the federal level - Senators - Five representatives - Electoral

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Overall, Oregon leans toward the Democratic party. It has supported Democratic candidates in the last five elections. John Kerry narrowly won the state in 2004 by a margin of 4 percentage points with 51.4% of the vote. Republicans dominate the eastern, central, and southern regions of the state, as well as the southwest and the southern outer suburbs of Portland. Essentially the Willamette Valley is dominated by Democrats while the rest of Oregon is dominated by Republicans. This divide is due to very real cultural and economic differences often with ties to land use issues. The Democratic party of Oregon is pro-environmental and seen as supportive of urban opinions, while the Republican party of Oregon is seen as pro-rancher and pro-logger and supportive of rural opinions.

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