§ ORS § 251.170Requirements for translation of voters’ pamphlets; rules

(1) The translation of a state
voters’ pamphlet or county voters’ pamphlet required under ORS 251.167 shall be
made in the manner described in this section.

(2) For each
state voters’ pamphlet and county voters’ pamphlet mailed to residents of a
county, the Secretary of State shall have the following portions of the voters’
pamphlet professionally translated into each language for which a translation
is required under ORS 251.167:

(a) Any official
statement or communication made by the Secretary of State, county clerk, filing
office or other public elections official, including any information described
in ORS 251.026 or 251.315 (1)(a) to (d) and (g) and any other information regarding
services offered by elections offices, how to cast a ballot and key dates for
the election;

(b) The ballot
title for each measure;

(c) The
explanatory statement for each measure;

(d) The financial
estimate for each measure and any statement prepared for a measure under ORS
250.125;

(e) Any racial
and ethnic impact statement prepared for a measure under ORS 137.685;

(f) Any statement
submitted for a measure by a citizen panel under ORS 250.141; and

(g) Except an
argument for a measure prepared by the Legislative Assembly under ORS 251.245,
any other statement for a measure created by a public body as defined in ORS
174.109.

(3) In addition
to the materials that the Secretary of State is required to have professionally
translated under subsection (2) of this section, the Secretary of State shall
allow to be included in the translated version of each state voters’ pamphlet
that is made available on the website of the Secretary of State or of a county
under ORS 251.167:

(a) Translations
of a candidate statement submitted under ORS 251.065, provided that:

(A) The candidate
is a candidate for federal or statewide office;

(B) The
translation is filed by a candidate or the agent of a candidate described in
subparagraph (A) of this paragraph;

(C) Neither the
translation nor the candidate statement submitted under ORS 251.065 is rejected
under ORS 251.055;

(D) The candidate
statement meets the requirements of a candidate statement set forth in this
chapter; and

(E) Any
translation filed under this paragraph is in one of the 10 most commonly spoken
languages in this state or of any county the office represents, other than
English, as listed by the Secretary of State under ORS 251.167.

(b) Translations
of an argument in support of or in opposition to a state measure filed under
ORS 251.255, provided that:

(A) The
translation is filed by the person who filed the argument in support of or in
opposition to a state measure under ORS 251.255;

(B) Neither the
translation nor the argument in support of or in opposition to a state measure
filed under ORS 251.255 is rejected under ORS 251.055;

(C) The statement
in support of or in opposition to a state measure meets the requirements of a
statement in support of or in opposition to a state measure set forth in this
chapter; and

(D) Any
translation filed under this paragraph is in one of the 10 most commonly spoken
languages in this state or of any county in which the measure will be voted on,
other than English, as listed by the Secretary of State under ORS 251.167.

(c) Translations
of a statement of arguments by a party filed under ORS 251.115, provided that:

(A) The
translation is filed by the person who filed the statement of arguments under
ORS 251.115;

(B) Neither the
translation nor the statement of arguments filed under ORS 251.115 is rejected
under ORS 251.055;

(C) The statement
of arguments meets the requirements of a statement of arguments set forth in
this chapter; and

(D) Any
translation filed under this paragraph is in one of the five most commonly
spoken languages in this state, other than English, as listed by the Secretary
of State under ORS 251.167.

(d) Translations
of any argument for a measure prepared by the Legislative Assembly under ORS
251.245 submitted by the Legislative Assembly, provided that any translation
filed under this paragraph is in one of the 10 most commonly spoken languages
in this state or of any county in which the measure will be voted on, other
than English, as listed by the Secretary of State under ORS 251.167.

(4)(a) A
translation that is permitted or required under this section is not required to
be identical in words to the original version but must be consistent with the
meaning of the original version.

(b) A translation
is not subject to any limitations on the number of words allowed set forth in
this chapter.

(5) A county may
at its own expense make or accept for publication on the county’s website, as
part of a translated voters’ pamphlet required under ORS 251.167, any portion
of a state or county voters’ pamphlet that is not described in this section.

(6) The Secretary
of State:

(a) May adopt any
rules necessary to implement this section; and

(b) Except as
provided in subsection (5) of this section, is responsible for all costs
necessary to comply with this section.

(7) As used in
this section, “statewide office” means Governor, Secretary of State, State
Treasurer, Attorney General, Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and
Industries, or judge on the Oregon Supreme Court, the Oregon Court of Appeals
or the Oregon Tax Court. [2021 c.464 §3; 2024 c.55 §3; 2024 c.56 §1; 2025 c.467
§1]