This examination of Measure 115 is part of an Oregon Capital Chronicle series on the measures Oregon voters will see on their Nov. 5 ballots.
What it is:
Measure 115 is a legislatively referred constitutional amendment that would allow the Oregon state House to impeach a statewide official, such as the governor, treasurer or secretary of state. Congress and lawmakers in 49 other states now have that ability, and Oregon is the only outlier.
The proposed constitutional amendment would allow the House to impeach a statewide official by a two-thirds vote, triggering a trial in the Senate presided over by the chief justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. A two-thirds vote by the Senate to convict could result in removing that official.
Lawmakers who backed the measure said it isn’t tied to any specific incident or elected official, but it moved forward after former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan resigned in May 2023 following revelations that she worked a $10,000-per-month side job for a marijuana company that helped shape an audit her office conducted of the state agency that regulates the cannabis industry. In the case of Fagan and former Gov. John Kitzhaber, who resigned in 2015 over an influence peddling scandal involving his fiancée, lawmakers were powerless to do anything but call for resignations.
What supporters say
Taxpayers Association of Oregon: “Oregon is the only state in the nation that doesn’t have an impeachment process. Right now, a recall is the only option to oust a corrupt politician. Our elected representatives and senators in the Legislature have no power to check the abuses of power of the executive branch. Oregonians deserve a way to hold corrupt elected officials accountable!”
What opponents say
Noah Robinson, Republican nominee for the 2nd Senate District in southwest Oregon: “Our state-wide officials are elected directly by the voters. The current system of requiring the voters to decide on a recall is better. Voters elect them, and voters should remove them if necessary.”
This Measure Would
- A “yes” vote would amend the state constitution to allow the Legislature to impeach and remove elected state executives, including the governor, secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer and commissioner of labor and industries.
- A “no” vote would keep Oregon as the only state without the ability to impeach elected officials.
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