Omar Bennett
The Oregon Constitution has been amended numerous times since 1902. The first constitutional documents enacted in Oregon were the Organic Law of 1843 and the Organic Law of 1845, which were adopted to govern Oregon Territory. In 1857, leaders of the territory drafted the current constitution, which was unchanged for the remainder of the 19th century. The Oregon Constitution is easier to amend than its federal counterpart, as it only requires a simple majority of favourable votes to ratify an amendment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First constitutional documents enacted | 1843 and 1845 |
| Current constitution drafted | 1857 |
| First amended | 1902 |
| Number of sections in the current constitution | 18 |
| Number of sections in Article I ("Bill of Rights") | 46 (5 repealed) |
| Number of sections in Article II ("Suffrage and Elections") | 24 (4 repealed) |
| Number of sections in Article III ("Distribution of Powers") | 4 |
| Number of sections in Article IV ("Legislative Branch") | 33 (1 repealed) |
| Number of sections in Article V ("Executive Branch") | 18 |
| Number of sections in Article VI ("Administrative Department") | 10 |
| Number of sections in Article VII ("Judicial Branch") | 9 |
| Number of sections in Article VIII ("Education and School Lands") | 8 (1 repealed) |
| Number of sections in Article XVII ("Amendments and Revisions") | 2 |
| Number of sections in Article XVIII ("Schedule") | 11 |
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What You'll Learn
The Oregon Constitution was first amended in 1902
The Oregon Constitution, the governing document of the U.S. state of Oregon, was first amended in 1902. The original constitution was enacted in 1857 and remained unchanged for the rest of the 19th century. In 1902, Oregon voters approved Measure 1, which established an initiative and referendum process. This amendment was approved with an overwhelming majority of 91.63% of the vote. With this amendment, Oregon became the third state in the U.S. to adopt the initiative and referendum process, following South Dakota and Utah.
The Oregon Constitution has a detailed process for amending its provisions, which is outlined in Article XVII ("Amendments and Revisions") and Article XVIII ("Schedule"). There are four different paths, or methods, to amend the state's constitution, which include legislative, citizen-initiated, and convention-referred constitutional amendment processes. All amendment methods require voter approval.
The legislative amendment process involves the state legislature, where a proposed amendment must be voted on and approved separately in each house of the legislature by a majority of members. The legislature can then place the proposed amendment on a special election ballot for voter approval. The citizen-initiated amendment process, on the other hand, starts with a petition signed by a significant number of qualified voters, typically eight percent of the total votes cast for all candidates for Governor in the previous gubernatorial election. This initiative amendment is then placed on the ballot for voter approval.
The convention-referred constitutional amendment process is triggered when a constitutional convention is held. A constitutional convention can propose amendments, but the law providing for the convention must first be approved by the people in a referendum vote during a general election. Once an amendment is proposed by a constitutional convention, it is then put before the voters for approval. Oregon's amendment process is more accessible than the process for amending the U.S. Constitution, which requires a two-thirds vote in Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states.
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Amendments require a majority vote
The Oregon Constitution was first enacted in 1857. It was not amended until 1902 when voters approved Measure 1 to establish an initiative and referendum process. The document was amended numerous times after 1902.
Amending the Oregon Constitution is easier than amending its federal counterpart. While amending the U.S. Constitution requires a two-thirds vote in Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states, amending the Oregon Constitution requires a simple majority vote of the people. There are four different paths laid out in the Oregon Constitution for changing the state's constitution.
The first path is through an initiative amendment. This process begins with an initiative petition that places the amendment on the ballot. The petition must be signed by a number of valid signatures of registered voters equal to eight percent of the total number of votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. Once the petition meets the signature requirement and the amendment is placed on the ballot, a simple majority of favorable votes is enough to ratify the amendment.
The second path is through a legislative amendment. This process begins with a referral from the state legislature to the people. A simple majority vote in the state legislature is required to refer the amendment to the people. Once the amendment has been referred to the people, a simple majority of favorable votes is enough to ratify it.
It is important to note that the right to free speech in Oregon is broader than at the federal level. No law shall be passed restraining the free expression of opinion or restricting the right to speak, write, or print.
In conclusion, amending the Oregon Constitution requires a majority vote of the people, either through an initiative amendment or a legislative amendment. The process of amending the state's constitution is designed to be accessible and responsive to the will of the people of Oregon.
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The constitution has 18 sections
The Oregon Constitution, enacted in 1857, has been amended numerous times since 1902. The current constitution contains 18 sections, beginning with a Bill of Rights. This Bill of Rights contains most of the rights and privileges protected by the United States Bill of Rights and the main text of the United States Constitution.
The first eight articles of the Oregon Constitution are as follows:
- Legislative Branch: Consists of 33 sections, one of which has been repealed.
- Executive Branch: Consists of 18 sections.
- Administrative Department: Consists of 10 sections.
- Judicial Branch: Consists of nine sections.
- Education and School Lands: Consists of eight sections, one of which has been repealed.
- Suffrage and Elections: Consists of 24 sections, four of which have been repealed.
- Distribution of Powers: Consists of four sections.
- Amendments and Revisions: Consists of two sections.
The Oregon Constitution is easier to amend than its federal counterpart. Amending the U.S. Constitution requires a two-thirds vote in Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states. In Oregon, a simple majority of favourable votes is enough to ratify an amendment. An amendment can be placed on the ballot by initiative petition, or by a simple majority vote in the state legislature.
The Oregon Constitution has been amended to remove racist language. In 1905, a coalition of Oregon lawyers advocated for a constitutional convention, and in 1916, Oregonians voted to keep Section 6 of Article II of the constitution, which denied suffrage to "negroes, Chinamen, and mulattoes". This was despite the fact that it had been rendered void by the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. It was not until 1927 that Oregonians decided to remove this exclusion from their constitution.
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The constitution was drafted in 1857
The Oregon Constitution, the governing document of the U.S. state of Oregon, was originally drafted in 1857. This occurred when leaders of the Oregon Territory gathered at the Oregon Constitutional Convention. Over half of the document's content was derived from the Indiana Constitution. The constitution included a racial exclusion section that barred African Americans and Chinese people from the state. On November 9, 1857, Oregon voters approved the constitution, which became effective upon statehood on February 14, 1859.
The first constitutional documents enacted in Oregon pre-dated statehood. The Organic Law of 1843 and the Organic Law of 1845 were adopted to govern the Oregon Territory. The constitution of 1857 remained unchanged until the 20th century. However, it has since been amended numerous times.
The Oregon Constitution is easier to amend than its federal counterpart. Amending the U.S. Constitution requires a two-thirds vote in Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states. In contrast, a simple majority of favourable votes is sufficient to ratify an amendment to the Oregon Constitution. An amendment can be placed on the ballot through an initiative petition or a legislative amendment referred to the people by a simple majority vote in the state legislature.
The process of amending the Oregon Constitution has been utilised frequently, as evidenced by the numerous articles that have been amended or repealed. For example, Article I, entitled "Bill of Rights," consists of 46 sections, five of which have been repealed. Similarly, Article II, "Suffrage and Elections," has 24 sections, with four repeals. Article IV, "Legislative Branch," has seen one repeal out of its 33 sections. Article VI, "Administrative Department," and Article VIII, "Education and School Lands," have also experienced repeals, with ten and eight sections, respectively.
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The constitution was unchanged in the 19th century
The Oregon Constitution, enacted in 1857, remained unchanged throughout the 19th century. The constitution was drafted at the Oregon Constitutional Convention, with its content derived from Indiana's constitution and the Organic Law of 1843 and 1845, which governed the Oregon Territory. The document included a bill of rights, mirroring the United States Bill of Rights, and outlined the divisions of power within the state government, election timelines, and state boundaries, with Salem designated as the capital.
While the constitution remained unaltered in the 19th century, the 20th century saw a different scenario. In 1902, Oregon's constitution underwent its first amendment when voters approved Measure 1. This amendment established an initiative and referendum process, empowering citizens to propose and vote on legislative changes directly. With this amendment, Oregon joined a small group of states, including South Dakota and Utah, that had already adopted this progressive form of direct democracy.
The Oregon Constitution is unique in its ease of amendment compared to its federal counterpart. While amending the U.S. Constitution requires a two-thirds majority in Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states, Oregon's constitution can be amended through a ballot initiative or a legislative referral. A successful initiative petition or a simple majority vote in the state legislature is enough to place an amendment on the ballot, and a simple majority of favourable votes can ratify it.
Despite the ease of amending the Oregon Constitution, certain sections have remained intact since their inception. Notably, the constitution's Article II, Section 6, which denied suffrage to "negro, Chinaman or mulatto," was retained by voters in 1916, despite being rendered void by the Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It was only in 1927 that Oregonians voted to remove this exclusionary clause from their constitution, marking a significant step towards a more inclusive democracy.
In conclusion, while the Oregon Constitution remained static in the 19th century, the 20th century brought about changes and adaptations to align the document with evolving societal values and democratic ideals. The state's constitution has since been amended numerous times, reflecting the dynamic nature of governance and the ongoing pursuit of a more perfect union.
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Frequently asked questions
The Oregon Constitution has been amended several times since 1902.
The first amendment to the Oregon Constitution was in 1902 when voters approved Measure 1 to establish an initiative and referendum process.
The Oregon Constitution is easier to amend than the U.S. Constitution. Amending the U.S. Constitution requires a two-thirds vote in Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states. In Oregon, a simple majority of favorable votes is enough to ratify an amendment.
