Oregon passes campaign finance reform to limit contributions to political candidates

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Thursday Oregon lawmakers passed a campaign finance reform bill that limits the amount of money people and political parties can contribute to candidates. “Oregon is currently one of roughly a dozen states that has no limits on campaign contributions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures” reports the Associated Press.  The bill heads to Governor Tina Kotek, who is expected to sign it, as her office said that she supports the legislation in an email Thursday after the bill’s final passage.

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Wealthy donors have been giving millions of dollars to their candidates of choice in key state races. Under the Oregon bill, starting in 2027, individuals and corporations can only give up to $3,300 to a statewide candidate per election cycle. Political party committees can give up to $30,000 and “membership organizations,” such as labor unions and nonprofit advocacy groups, can contribute a total of $26,400 to a statewide candidate per cycle.

The bill would make Oregon equivalent to federal campaign contribution limits for candidates. Under federal law, individuals can donate up to $3,300 to federal candidates per election, although the amount of money they can give to political action committees, or Super PACs, has no cap.

Limits would be lower for non-statewide candidates running in legislative, district attorney or circuit court judge races. Political parties and “membership organizations” could donate up to $15,000 and $13,200, respectively, to such candidates. The $3,300 limit for individuals and corporations remains the same.

The Associated Press notes in order to promote transparency, the bill also directs the secretary of state, starting in 2028, to create an online dashboard that lists the 100 largest contributors to candidates or campaign committees and shows how much money industry groups donate to candidates.

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The AP gives the specific example of the 2022 gubernatorial race, in which the billionaire co-founder of Oregon-based Nike, Phil Knight, donated more than $3.7 million to unaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson and $1.5 million to Republican candidate Christine Drazan. Kotek, a Democrat, was ultimately elected governor.

“We don’t want to live in a world where the Phil Knights and the other big spenders can just spend unlimited money,” Jason Kafoury with Honest Elections Oregon said while testifying in support of the bill. “Phil Knight will have to give $3,300 just like everybody else.”

Kafoury has advocated for campaign finance reform for years and hailed the bill’s passage as a “remarkable accomplishment.” He said Honest Elections Oregon and another group that had been pushing to get the issue on the November ballot will drop their petitions if the governor signs it.

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